Notes on Trumbo, Jones, rotation, rehabs and Davis (O's lead 6-2)

Mark Trumbo received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right knee yesterday and made it into tonight's lineup against the Mets at Camden Yards.

The knee has bothered Trumbo for most of the season, but his 17 home runs are tied with Trey Mancini for the team lead among players who weren't traded last month.

"Feels better today like we thought it would and he's going to DH," said manager Buck Showalter. "Waited to talk to him some and he said he felt good. I don't think it's going to be something that's going to completely go away until a lot of time off. But I don't think anything that he can't manage.

"He and Brian (Ebel) have been dealing with it for a while."

Adam Jones will go on the bereavement list after Wednesday's game that concludes the homestand in order to attend a funeral. He has to be gone a minimum of three days and likely will miss the weekend series in Cleveland.

The Orioles are allowed to replace him with another players. One option could be veteran outfielder Craig Gentry, who's played in five games on his injury rehab assignment. However, the Orioles would have to figure out how to make room for Jones on the roster upon his return and Gentry is out of minor league options.

With Dylan Bundy starting Wednesday night on normal rest, rookies David Hess and Yefry Ramírez will have two work days before their next outings.

Showalter hasn't revealed his starters for the Indians series. Another off-day on Thursday enables him to tweak the rotation. But he wanted to keep Bundy on regular rest.

"I really don't want David and Yefry to get too far away," Showalter said. "Actually, I was thinking about David in the bullpen some tonight, but I really don't want the possibility of him pitching and then only getting one or two days off before he starts. It's also beneficial

Infielder Steve Wilkerson (oblique) began his rehab assignment today in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

Manager Carlos Tosca told Showalter that Wilkerson looked good.

"He said the most impressive thing, he swung and missed at a changeup and it didn't bother him," Showalter said. "That's a really good sign."

Showalter said he thinks Gentry and Wilkerson are getting close to returning from the disabled list. Wilkerson could be optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

Since going 2-for-4 with a home run Friday night against the Red Sox, first baseman Chris Davis is hitless in 10 at-bats with eight strikeouts to lower his average to .158 with a .541 OPS.

"Chris has always been one of those guys who can make it up in a spurt, and you step back and look at the body of work and it's pretty good in the past," Showalter said. "And it's never been like this. The real good really set off the challenging times. For an extended period of time, he hasn't been able to get in that long period.

"I remember a series we had in Tampa where, when he made an out his last at-bat the whole dugout stood up and clapped. Obviously, he's tried a lot of different approaches, so I think the inconsistencies have been the biggest frustration. You think he's got something and he might get going here and then something kind of takes him back to square one. But this isn't a guy shirking responsibility. I talk to him all the time about what he's thinking. 'What are your thoughts tomorrow, today or whatever? Do you have anything I can help you with?'

"He wants to compete. He enjoys the game but he doesn't enjoy failing. It's not much fun for him. But you've seen him go down the line. He's trying to make it work. I'm hoping for his sake that it does. I don't want to see anybody have some of the, I don't want to say 'anguish,' but just some of the frustration that he has inside."

Davis went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in Sunday's loss to the Red Sox.

"I don't get mad at him. I get frustrated for him because I watch," Showalter said.

"There's a reason why there's tape around his fingers. So many things that go on that people don't see. He tries backing off and he tries pushing and he tries a lot of different things. So should we quit looking at different things? And regardless of what happens between now and the end of the year, he'll get a fresh start next year. And he's shown that he's capable. And trying to identify what those reasons are.

"Other than being a year older or whatever, what's really changed as far as the ballpark, the hitting coach, the competition, the ballparks? What's really changed? That's what's frustrating for all of us because you can't identify that."

For the Mets
Amed Rosario SS
Jeff McNeil 2B
Michael Conforto DH
Wilmer Flores 1B
Brandon Nimmo LF
Todd Frazier 3B
Austin Jackson CF
Jose Bautista RF
Kevin Plawecki C

Jason Vargas LHP

Update: The Orioles broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning on Trumbo's sacrifice fly after Renato Núñez walked and Adam Jones doubled.

Update II: Andrew Cashner allowed two runs in the top of the fifth on two-out RBI singles by Kevin Plawecki and Amed Rosario.

Update III: Jones hit a solo home run in the sixth to tie the game 2-2.

Update IV: Davis' 15th home run of the season gave the Orioles a 3-2 lead in the seventh. Nunez tacked on another run with an RBI single off the glove of diving third baseman Todd Frazier.

Update V: Tim Beckham's two-run homer in the eighth increased the lead to 6-2.