Orioles have full schedule before tonight's game

NEW YORK - The Orioles will be busy today before they take the field for the second game of their series against the Yankees.

Darren O'Day is pitching a simulated game this afternoon that might determine whether he's ready to come off the disabled list. He could be assigned a second sim game, sent on a rehab assignment or activated.

Hyun Soo Kim will get some swings against O'Day to further test his right hamstring. It's more important for him to run the bases. It's imperative that the Orioles find out by Wednesday if he's recovered. That's the deadline to decide.

Adam Jones was asked last night how much he misses Kim.

"In terms of?" he asked. "He's here. The first 10-15 games of the season, he didn't play at all. Most of us in here and me personally, I played eight major league seasons without him. Not saying we don't need Kim. His presence, his at-bats, his professionalism, those are things right now that he brings to our lineup every single day when he's in there. But first and foremost we want him to get healthy.

"We're not trying to get him to rush himself back. Hamstrings are always tricky and he might say he feels good, but you run down that line, you do something different, you could tweak it and you'd be out a little bit longer than expected. So I try to give him a little bit of advice. Some other guys have, too. Make sure you're good because it comes down to mid, late August, and you're going into September, that's when we really need you."

Matt Wieters had his right foot X-rayed following last night's 2-1 loss to the Yankees and we'll find out the results and whether he's scheduled for an MRI. He was getting treatment while the media stood inside the clubhouse.

First baseman Chris Davis will try to keep down a meal, get out of his hotel room and get back in the lineup. He missed his second game last night, a stomach virus knocking him off his feet.

Ryan Flaherty replaced Davis at first base last night, again demonstrating his value as a super utility player. He went 1-for-3, including an infield hit, a walk and a liner to center field one pitch after depositing a ball into the second deck in right field, but to the right of the foul pole.

A foot injury to Wieters would be downright cruel. His elbow no longer warrants mention other than to point out that he's got a lot of zip on his throws, the latest example coming last night when Rob Refsnyder thought it would be a good idea to run on him in the seventh.

Wieters stayed in the game after being hit by an Ivan Nova pitch in the first. It's impossible to determine how his speed is impacted, since he has none. He'd be the first to point it out.

O'Day could come off the disabled list later this week, returning to a bullpen that began last night ranked second in the American League with a 3.04 ERA. The Royals were first at 3.03.

The unit turned in another 1 1/3 scoreless innings, including one by rookie Donnie Hart, who was on the mound when Wieters cut down Refsnyder trying to steal. Chaz Roe retired the only batter he faced to close out the eighth and strand two runners.

How will the Orioles make room for O'Day when he's ready?

They want to hold onto Hart as a second left-hander and a guy who could be used as a specialist. He retired both left-handed hitters Sunday afternoon in his major league debut and induced groundball outs last night from Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury. Also, left-handers are hitting .396 (19-for-48) against Mychal Givens, while right-handers are batting .171 (18-for-105).

Givens can be optioned, but he's a valuable piece in the bullpen. O'Day makes him more expendable, but Givens has earned the right to stay. It's just important to put him in the most favorable matchups.

Roe is out of options and he hasn't allowed a run in his last four appearances spanning 4 1/3 innings since a rough 2016 debut, when he surrendered two runs and walked two batters in the eighth inning on July 1 in Seattle. Dae-ho Lee homered off him.

Roe posted a 2.67 ERA in the first half last season and a 6.91 ERA in the second. He also went on the disabled list in August with right shoulder tendinitis.

"Other than the first outing, he's looked like the Chaz we saw for the first couple months we had him last year and that would bode well for us, because he's capable of doing a good job for us down there," said manager Buck Showalter.

"If he can do that, it takes some load off Brad (Brach) and Mychal, especially with Darren hopefully being around the corner."

We know the untouchables in the bullpen, which leaves us with Odrisamer Despaigne and Ubaldo Jimenez. One of them can be optioned.

The Orioles lost two long relievers when they put Dylan Bundy and Vance Worley in the rotation. Bundy is starting again Friday night against the Indians at Camden Yards. Worley starts tonight against the Yankees and has no idea what's going to happen next.