Orioles reach their 162nd game

Another season comes to a close this afternoon. The last game of 2015, started by the same pitcher who opened it.

Chris Tillman is trying to finish at .500, a modest goal considering his combined 29-13 record the past two seasons. His 5.05 ERA looks strangely out of place next to 3.71 and 3.34 in the two previous years.

For the first time in three seasons, Tillman won't reach the 200 inning mark that is so important to him unless he manages to go 32 1/3 today. And the expanded roster and extra relievers make it unlikely to happen.

In his last two outings, Tillman has allowed five runs over 13 1/3 innings while notching back-to-back quality starts. His ERA has been lowered from 5.21 to 5.05 since Sept. 12.

"I haven't really had a chance to reflect yet," he said. "We've still got two more games, but I'm definitely not happy. I'm glad I've been able to pitch better recently. That's a big positive. I think moving forward that's a good thing.

"I think it was more executing pitches than anything and I don't think the process was there and sometimes the results aren't. I think you've got to stick to it and work your way through it and I think that's what we did. Definitely encouraging pitching better as of recently."

As Tillman explained the reasons for his decline in 2015, he looked around a clubhouse that could undergo an extreme makeover in 2016 with six pending free agents and a handful of arbitration-eligible players who may be non-tendered.

"Could be," said Tillman, who's 4-4 with a 4.64 ERA in 13 second-half starts after going 6-7 with a 5.40 ERA in 17 starts prior to the break. "It's going to be a little different next year and it's going to be tough, but that's baseball. These guys have earned the right to do what they're doing and good for them. I'm more than happy to have them back, I'd love to have them back, but you never know. The game's a business and I wish all the best for everybody."

The Orioles and Tillman's agent had brief discussions in spring training regarding a contract extension, but the offer was only a starting point and much too low to bring the sides near an agreement. Talks were cut off once the season began and never resumed.

Could they start up again before opening day 2016?

"I have no idea," said Tillman, who made $4.315 million in his first year as an arbitration-eligible. "I haven't even thought about it or talked about it at all. We'll see. I haven't even put any thought into it."

Tillman has made one start against the Yankees this season, allowing four runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings on May 7. He's 5-6 with a 5.06 ERA in 15 career starts.

Stephen Drew is 6-for-17 with two doubles, a triple and a home run, but he's out with a concussion. Alex Rodriguez is 6-for-12 with four home runs and nine RBIs. Dustin Ackley is 1-for-13.

Manny Machado will be arbitration eligible for the first time after making $548,000 this season. Talk about a bump in pay. That's going to be the Mount Everest of bumps.

Machado tried to convince anyone who would listen at the January minicamp that his knees felt great and he'd be full-go for spring training. He tried to convince everyone that he'd be ready for opening day. Then he went out and played in every game while bashing 35 home runs.

It's hard to believe that his total is more than Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Eddie Murray hit in a single season. Robinson topped out at 28 in 1964, Ripken topped out at 34 in 1991 and - this is the one that blows my mind - Murray topped out at 33 in 1983.

Murray retired with 504 home runs. No wonder he was nicknamed "Steady Eddie."

Machado is the second Oriole with 30 home runs, 20 steals and 100 runs scored in a season, joining Brady Anderson in 1996. The Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt is the only other player in the majors to do it this season.

Machado is 5-for-11 with a double against Michael Pineda, who starts today for the Yankees. Pineda is 2-1 with a 5.70 ERA in four starts versus the Orioles this season, with four walks and 32 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings. He's 3-1 with a 3.67 ERA in eight career starts and 1-1 with a 5.82 in four starts at Camden Yards.

J.J. Hardy is 6-for-13 with three home runs, Jimmy Paredes is 5-for-9, Nolan Reimold is 3-for-7, Chris Davis is 3-for-16 with two home runs and 10 strikeouts, Caleb Joseph is 2-for-10 with a double and six strikeouts and Ryan Flaherty is 1-for-11.

Flaherty may need to start at second base again for Jonathan Schoop, who's bothered by a bruised right hand. Adam Jones is 7-for-23 with two doubles and a home run against Pineda, but he's been sidelined with tightness in his back.