Pregame notes on Chris Davis, homegrown pitchers and more

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he expects first baseman Chris Davis to return to the Grapefruit League lineup on Sunday when the Orioles host the Mets in Sarasota.

Davis has played in just five spring games due to right elbow tightness/inflammation. He is 2-for-13 (.154) with one homer. His last game was March 2. He got a cortisone injection on Saturday.

"He is making good progress," Showalter said before today's game with the Mets. "Right now, the plan is for him to play Sunday and I haven't heard anything to make me think that is not going to happen. That is good to hear. Unless something changes. I could come in and the trainers say he is ready to play tomorrow and he plays tomorrow."

Earlier today in Sarasota, Davis said he is doing well and ready to return to the lineup. Showalter said there is plenty of time for Davis to get enough at-bats in before opening day. That could include him playing in some minor league games.

"We've got enough time," he said.

Right-hander Brad Brach threw two innings in a minor league game on Thursday without allowing a hit or a run. He walked two and fanned three, throwing 31 pitches.

Lefty Richard Bleier, who threw two innings on Wednesday in a minors game at Twin Lakes Park, has a wisdom tooth that may be extracted. The Orioles are trying to decide whether to do that now or wait.

Without being prompted by a question today, Showalter threw some props toward infielder Engelb Vielma, who is trying to make the roster as a utility infielder.

"Vielma has gotten better and better. You can see some things defensively, once he settled in a bit. He's a good defender, man," he said.

Showalter also had a generous amount of praise today for some of the Orioles homegrown minor league pitchers. Last Sunday in Fort Myers against Boston, several minor league hurlers got in that game and threw well. Keegan Akin, Michael Baumann, Brenan Hanifee, Zac Lowther and Ryan Meisinger teamed for five scoreless innings of two-hit ball in a win. That was after Hunter Harvey and Tanner Scott went the first four.

"I texted (scouting director) Gary Rajsich after that game. That was about as encouraging a day that we've had in a while," Showalter said. "The thing that was encouraging, not just the stuff, was the presence. They had a lot of confidence in their stuff. That was fun. It is not just one guy we are talking about, Hunter Harvey. It's a number of guys and it's encouraging. It really is."

I was at that game against Boston and wrote this the next day.