O's add pitcher Paul Fry; Tillman on track for Monday at Bowie

TORONTO - It happened again. The Orioles have acquired yet another pitcher, this time adding 24-year-old lefty Paul Fry from Seattle. The Orioles acquired Fry in exchange for 2016-17 international signing bonus slot No. 105. To make 40-man roster room, right-hander Parker Bridwell was designated for assignment.

Fry made one appearance this year for Seattle's Triple-A Tacoma club on April 10. He pitched two innings, allowing six hits and four runs. Last year for Tacoma, he made 48 appearances (one start), going 3-1 with a 2.78 ERA. Over 55 innings, he allowed 48 hits with 31 walks and 65 strikeouts.

"Paul Fry has compiled an excellent record in a short time with a deceptive delivery and a good slider," O's vice president Dan Duquette said via a text message. "Our staff likes the way he keeps the ball down in the zone and in the park. We look forward to his contributiions to the Orioles."

Fry was recently designated for assignment by the Mariners. He has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

So that is three trades in about 20 or so hours for the Orioles if you are trying to keep track.

In 151 career minor leagues games, Fry, a 17th round draft pick by the Mariners in 2013, is 13-14 with a 2.88 ERA and .245 batting average against.

Bridwell, the club's ninth-round pick in 2010, pitched in two games this year for Norfolk. He allowed eight runs and 10 hits over four innings. He got into two major league games last season and allowed five runs over 3 1/3 innings.

Earlier this afternoon Orioles manager Buck Showalter said that Chris Tillman's work day went well today in Florida. Now Tillman is set to travel north to pitch for Double-A Bowie on Monday night at Prince George's Stadium.

The discomfort hasn't returned to Tillman's right shoulder and he had said he felt good after Tuesday's two-inning start at extended spring training. Tillman is expected to throw three innings or about 45 pitches in Monday's game. The Orioles still are hopeful of a May 2 return to the majors for the right-hander.

Showalter said shortstop J.J. Hardy will get one day off in this series at Toronto and that will probably be tomorrow's game. Caleb Joseph is catching Wade Miley here tonight and Welington Castillo is expected to catch Saturday and Sunday.

Right-hander Alec Asher is with the Orioles, set to make his O's debut and get the start tomorrow afternoon. He is on the taxi squad tonight, but can't be in the dugout for the game. A roster move will have to be made before tomorrow's afternoon game to get Asher active.

After Saturday's game, the Orioles will not need a fifth starter again until April 22. This leads to speculation that Asher will be sent back to the minors as the club adds a player between those two games.

But Showalter said today there is a chance that Asher stays on the roster beyond tomorrow.

"Oh, yeah. It's an opportunity," he said. "(But) this allows us to kind of have a 26th player. If we have a need, someone gets hit with a line drive in the first inning, we can withstand it. It is one thing to have depth and optionable pieces, but they have to get people out. Teams have a lot of people, but can those people perform at this level. That is the other part of the equation."

The Orioles acquired Asher March 28 from Philadelphia for a player to be named or cash. Two days later, he pitched a scoreless inning versus Detroit in a spring training game. He broke camp with Triple-A Norfolk, made the start and pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings on Monday for the Tides against Gwinnett. He allowed four hits with no walks and six strikeouts, throwing 74 pitches. In five starts with the Phillies last September, Asher went 2-1 with a 2.28 ERA.