Notes on trade deadline, Pearce and more (game will start at 7:35 p.m.)

We're under 48 hours until the non-waiver trade deadline and there's no news on the Orioles.

Executive vice president Dan Duquette is trying to acquire a corner outfielder and improve his pitching depth, and opposing teams are trying to pry away Kevin Gausman, Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop.

That's called a deal-breaker.

Double-A Bowie reliever Mychal Givens also is drawing significant interest, but the Orioles are hesitant to part with him and have turned away multiple suitors. They regard the former shortstop as a possible replacement for Darren O'Day next season if the veteran set-up man leaves as a free agent.

Givens earned his 14th save today in Bowie's 2-1 victory in Akron. He's sporting a 1.79 ERA in 55 1/3 innings, with 16 walks and 77 strikeouts, and opponents are batting .191 against him.

The Orioles are expected to promote Givens to Triple-A Norfolk next month.

I don't need to explain why Machado should be untouchable. It's a waste of time for executives to inquire about him. The Orioles also are keeping Schoop, and they want Gausman to break camp next spring as a member of their rotation.

The Orioles have talked to the Padres about outfielder Justin Upton, but they won't part with Gausman.

Asked earlier today whether he'd be surprised if the Orioles didn't make a trade by 4 p.m. Thursday, manager Buck Showalter replied, "Not at all."

"We've already made some moves," he added. "They happen to be in Bowie and Norfolk."

Showalter rattled off the names of some minor leaguers, including pitcher Mike Wright, who's 8-0 with a 2.41 ERA in 13 games (12 starts) at Norfolk.

"I think he was a little sore here before he went down," Showalter said. "It seemed to freshen his arm up again. He seems to be throwing a lot better, freer."

pearce-first-base-white-sidebar.jpgShowalter said Steve Pearce won't be read to come off the disabled list when he's eligible on Aug. 3. Pearce, sidelined by a strained left oblique, is at least a week away from starting baseball activities.

Following last night's 7-3 win, Chris Davis said the Orioles were playing with a sense of urgency. Does Showalter get that sense?

"I think he's trying to fill up your quote, but he's good, he knows," Showalter replied. "There always is. There's a sense of urgency about doing that drill properly in February in spring training.

"There's a finite number of games and you start to doing math, but it's not something you talk about constantly in the locker room and beat up on because that only creates some anxiety. You can only do what you can do with what's ahead of you, and that's hopefully the nine innings we're playing tonight."

The tarp is on the field at Camden Yards and a light rain is falling. No word on an adjusted starting time.

For the Braves
Nick Markakis DH
Cameron Maybin CF
Freddie Freeman 1B
Adonis Garcia LF
A.J. Pierzynski C
Andrelton Simmons SS
Jace Peterson 2B
Eury Perez RF
Daniel Castro 3B

Mike Foltynewicz RHP

Update: The start of tonight's game will be delayed due to rain. No start time announced yet.

Update II: The Orioles said the game will start at approximately 7:35 p.m.




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