Showalter on O'Day, bullpen and Pearce

SAN FRANCISCO - Orioles reliever Darren O'Day received a cortisone injection in his right shoulder today before going on the disabled list with a rotator cuff strain, and manager Buck Showalter sounded confident that the absence won't extend beyond 15 days.

O'Day is eligible to return on Aug. 28 and Showalter said the reliever definitely will pitch for them later this season.

"I talked to Darren today," Showalter said. "I talked to Dr. (Michael) Jacobs. He saw him early this morning and they injected him and they felt like it was best to serve some time on the DL. I have a lot of confidence that we'll get it resolved in that period. He was as sore today. Said he felt better after the shot.

"Darren was pretty adamant about not going on the DL when we left Oakland, when he flew back, but today he had a little different feel for it, so we were waiting to see. It's like what we talked about when so much emotion and adrenaline goes on from that day, goes away that we'd get a better idea. When Darren doesn't fight it ...

"He also doesn't want to leave our bullpen short. He knows it could be a challenge. Plus, we would have to send Tyler (Wilson) back by 3 o'clock today. His taxi squad would go away.

"It's good and bad. Tyler's been pitching well. It kind of gets us back on our feet a little bit down there as far as guys who are rested."

O'Day's removal from the bullpen again presents more opportunities for the less-experienced relievers, including Mychal Givens and left-hander Donnie Hart.

"That's what we did when Darren was out before," Showalter said. "We've already kind of done that and we'll continue to do it. That's who we are and how we have to do it. There's three or four other guys that we've talked about. We're always looking from within.

"Mychal's pitched well in a time of need. Our starters have gotten longer into the games, which has kept us from having to pitch some innings that we've pitched a lot this year."

Givens may now be better suited for high-leverage situations as he's improved versus left-handed batters, though they're hitting .355 against him, compared to the .165 average posted by right-handers.

"I think so," Showalter said. "It's been going on for a year and a half. Mychal is a rookie, right? Dylan (Bundy) is a rookie. (Joey) Rickard was a rookie. We've got a lot of guys who ... it's a good thing we're not thinking of them like that as much. But how do you get that experience? There's only one way to get it and that's to start doing it.

"People will ask, 'How did you know Steve Pearce could play second base or third base?' Well, I didn't know but we're going to run him out there and see what happens. He's got the skillset to be able to do it. Some guys have to grow up quick."

Others may have to adjust roles. Vance Worley, for example, could be used more in short spurts rather than in long relief, especially with Wilson and Ubaldo Jimenez in the bullpen.

"As opposed to who?" Showalter asked. "It's all hands on deck and our guys respond pretty well to that, what the team's needs are. Like Zach (Britton) was saying, there's an opportunity around every corner. You've just got to be ready to take advantage of it. Some of it's by necessity."

The Orioles are facing Red Sox left-handers on Tuesday and Wednesday at Camden Yards - the assumption being David Price and Eduardo Rodriguez - which will get Pearce back into the lineup. Showalter considered starting him tonight at first base and putting Chris Davis in left field, but decided against it.

"He may play today," Showalter said. "In order to play him and Chris, you'd have to play one of them in the outfield and I didn't want to put Chris in left field today. Steve's a good first baseman, but you're also taking what I think is a Gold Glove first baseman and sticking him out in left field in a place he hasn't played much.

"The other big part of it is that we're (facing) two left-handed starters against Boston and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize Steve being available for those games. He will give us a nice weapon off the bench."

Showalter wouldn't say whether Pearce is limited to first base and DH duties after experiencing soreness in his right forearm/elbow area and receiving an injection.

"I'm not going to commit to that," he said. "I feel like I could play him some places tonight if I had to, if we had to switch and do some things. I'll try to stay away from that, but we could.

"I talked to him today about managing it until we get to Tuesday. If we can manage it until Tuesday, we could have him back close to full strength, I hope."