Recapping a busy day for the Orioles (O's lose 7-1)

NEW YORK - Today is one of those days when the game almost seems like a side note to the flurry of activity.

The Orioles wanted to wait until Wednesday to make a decision on Hyun Soo Kim, but the roster wouldn't allow it. Funny how these things work out.

All of a sudden, Chris Davis comes down with a stomach virus, Matt Wieters is hit on the foot and the bench is too thin for the club to remain patient with Kim.

Julio Borbon is swinging a hot bat and he brings speed and outfield versatility to the bench that's lost if Joey Rickard and Nolan Reimold get more starts.

"We kind of look at our needs and what everybody could possibly do, and from talking to everybody down there and talking to Dan (Duquette), he was the guy who best fit what our needs were going to be," said manager Buck Showalter.

"He's got experience. He's played in these ballparks. It's not like this is something new for him, the third deck, or the fourth deck here. He's had a great month. He's been real hot."

"He comes with the reputation of being able to defend and run, something we haven't had off the bench with Joey playing a lot. He brings a couple of elements that you have to defend and are hard to find. You always look at all 25 of your guys and what they bring that you can take advantage of that makes the other team make an adjustment. You have to adjust to some of the things that Julio brings."

Henry Urrutia wasn't in Double-A Bowie's lineup this afternoon. He said his goodbyes to teammates and left after the Orioles designated him for assignment.

The Orioles can outright Urrutia to the minors if he clears waivers.

"I wouldn't close the door on Henry," Showalter said. "Henry's hitting .300 down there. It was close. We had to take somebody off and we didn't want to sacrifice any pitching, I would assume. The needs of the major league club are always a priority.

"Henry was, and still is, a good sign and if he clears, who knows? He may reemerge somewhere."

Showalter was pleased with Darren O'Day's simulated game, which will lead to Friday night's appearance at Double-A Bowie.

"Good. That was encouraging," Showalter said. "It's just bated breath or whatever you want to call it until he feels good tomorrow. If that's the case, he'll pitch in Bowie Friday. Take tomorrow off and then do a lot of conditioning. Thought he got a little winded at the end. Not winded, but kind of, a little spent toward the end.

"We did a 15-pitch and he stopped for a little while and then did another 10 pitches. I think talking to Wally (Dave Wallace) and Dom (Chiti) and Richie (Bancells), it would probably be good to give him two (days off) and then throw Friday night in Bowie. And then hopefully if that goes well we're talking about a Sunday or Monday activation."

O'Day hasn't pitched since June 1. Could he need more than one game at Bowie?

"If it was a guy who was going to be asked to pitch four or five, three innings even, yeah, but Darren's a guy who knows ..." Showalter said. "I'll tell you, he's been real crisp in his side sessions. It may bode well for him the rest of the way because you can tell his arm's pretty fresh. He'll be about as good as any trade you could make getting him back.

"I think the sim game we count. He's had a lot of side sessions. If it was somebody else, you'd probably think about it. It's not as if he's going to walk in and you're going to stick him in the eighth or ninth inning right out of the chute. He'll have to work his way back into the role that we're accustomed to him having."

The bullpen remains one of the best in baseball, but it misses its leader.

"I think in a lot of ways," Showalter said. "I think mentally and emotionally for our club as much as anything. We're missing some of our parts, our pieces, and he's a big one."

He joins first baseman Chris Davis (illness) and catcher Matt Wieters (foot).

"Hopefully, we'll get Chris back here shortly," Showalter said. "Matt's pretty swollen with his foot today. He gutted out the last couple innings last night. It's pretty puffy today. Just things you go through over the course of the season. We lost J.J. (Hardy) for a long time. It just happens. We had to use Matt sporadically until we were sure about his elbow. But every team's got it, I'm sure. Nobody wants to hear about your problems.

"We've been playing short for most of the post-All Star break, which is usually where you're at full strength."

Showalter was anxious about Wieters' X-ray last night, but he found comfort in the catcher's insistence on playing.

"I don't think Matt would have been able to continue in the game," Showalter said. "He had said something to Caleb (Joseph) in the fourth inning that I wasn't aware of. He said, 'Hey, be ready. This thing's barking.' And then before his last at-bat he told me, 'You know, I'm probably not going to be able to score on anything, if you need to pinch-run for me.'

"Richie already had set up the X-ray after the game, so I was glad that came back negative. A lot of those small bones in the feet, kind of like J.J., you never know what you're dealing with."

Davis was back in the clubhouse, but he looked pale.

"I haven't had a chance to talk to Chris," Showalter said. "He's been in the back. I know he's here and we'll see about his availability tonight. He's still pretty weak. Hopefully, not dehydrated, but he lost a lot of things that usually provide energy, right?

"He looked real bad on the elevator (Sunday) night. I said, 'Are you OK?' And he said, 'No, I've been pretty sick on the plane.' Nothing worse than being sick at 30,000 feet or 40, whatever it was. There aren't a whole lot of places you can go other than the lavatory. That stuff's going around. It seems like it's another guy every day who picks it up. Wash your hands."

T.J. McFarland is throwing on flat ground while recovering from a left knee injury.

"Hasn't gotten on the mound yet," Showalter said. "That's going to be the last thing, but he's been throwing. He feels good. That's going as protocol. They wanted to have everything heal up and stay away from any surgery there."

For the Yankees
Brett Gardner LF
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Carlos Beltran RF
Brian McCann C
Alex Rodriguez DH
Didi Gregorius SS
Starlin Castro 2B
Chase Headley 3B
Rob Refsnyder 1B

Nathan Eovaldi RHP

Update: Didi Gregorius drew a 10-pitch walk off Vance Worley with two outs in the second inning and Starlin Castro homered to give New York a 2-0 lead.

Update II: Worley lasted only 4 1/3 innings and allowed three runs and three hits, with four walks, three strikeouts and a home run. He threw 88 pitches, one more than his previous season high.

Rob Refsnyder, the Yankees' No. 9 hitter, drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on Jacoby Ellsbury's single up the middle.

Update III: The Orioles finally broke through in the sixth on Rickard's RBI double, but they couldn't score again after loading the bases with one out. Ryan Flaherty walked and Adam Jones singled with one out to fuel the rally.

Anthony Swarzak replaced Nathan Eovaldi and retired Mark Trumbo and Jonathan Schoop on pop ups.

Update IV: Starlin Castro stroked a two-run double off Odrisamer Despaigne in the sixth to expand the lead to 5-1. No shutdown inning.

Update V: The Orioles dropped their third game in a row, losing to the Yankees 7-1.

Chase Headley hit a two-run homer off Mychal Givens in the eighth.

The Orioles (53-39) have scored 52 runs in their last 15 games. They lead the Red Sox by a half-game in the American League East.