Showalter says Hunter Harvey should avoid surgery (more quotes)

Orioles manager Buck Showalter didn't offer much detail on Hunter Harvey's MRI today, but he said the young pitching prospect should be able to avoid elbow surgery.

Team orthopedist Dr. Michael Jacobs examined Harvey, and the results of his MRI, after the right-hander flew into Baltimore. Harvey lasted only two innings in Sunday's extended spring training start before leaving the game with elbow stiffness.

Harvey will be shut down for what appears to be an extended period.

"How do you put it? It was pretty good news, all things considered, I thought," Showalter said following the Orioles' 6-1 win over the Blue Jays at Camden Yards.

"I know they're going to take some time off and we'll see if he wants to get a second opinion. And feel confident that if that happens it will concur with what our people say. Obviously, I know a lot more, but he's not going to be throwing for a little while. He's going to take some time, but don't feel like there's anything else but rest prescribed at this point.

"There's nothing that we feel like requires surgery. We'll see if they want to get another opinion."

Asked whether he expects Harvey to pitch this season, Showalter replied, "Yes."

Showalter moved the subject to players on the disabled list who are nearing returns.

"We're going to have a lot of guys come available right around the same time," he said. "I think (Everth) Cabrera's going to make the 22nd, I think Wes (Wright) will be somewhere around there. Matt (Wieters) is doing great. He's catching nine tomorrow. And really hoping to see Jonathan (Schoop) get on the field the next day or two."

Update: Miguel Gonzalez improved to 5-0 with a 0.98 ERA in his last six starts against the Blue Jays dating back to Sept. 15, 2013. He's 20-11 vs. the American League East.

Here's more from Showalter on tonight's game:

On a better effort following last night's debacle:
"It's more what we're capable of. It was a good defensive night. I'll tell you what I was proud of, D (Alejandro De Aza) makes throw that we can't make and he comes back and makes a really good play down in that tricky corner. I was happy to see that. Manny (Machado) made a big play. I thought it was a momentum turn there at third base. I thought Caleb (Joseph) came back and had a good game. But Miggy was the difference. He was solid."

On Gonzalez:
"Miggy doesn't have just one way to get you out and if that's not working he's going to struggle. He's going to go to other things. He's going to go in the cupboard. And when he's got all four of them going, it's kind of like tonight. But it works off command. When you've got a delivery you can repeat, you can get baseballs where you need to get them.

"One of the first things I noticed in the spring and Brady (Anderson) was telling me how he worked hard in the offseason. He really came into the season with a goal that he wanted to pitch 200 innings, really wanting to be there for everybody through the whole season. Physically, he's prepared himself for the long haul. I hope he gets a return for it. There's a long way to go."

On Gonzalez being so good in the division:
"There's some other teams outside the American League East that he's pitched well against. Miggy doesn't shy away from a big stage. He doesn't dwell too long on ... You go through your career and you've had a lot of people tell you you couldn't do something, he doesn't take a pitch for granted up here."

On whether he thought Gonzalez could go the distance:
"Not necessarily. Just taking an out at a time. You know it's a quality offense over there that can break out at any point, which tells you how good Miggy pitched. You just try to take it hitter for hitter. It really helps trying to get our bullpen back on its feet. We've had some challenges there with the off-day tomorrow, first time in a long time we're going to be playing a game Friday where everybody's available. So, it was good to win a series in our first series at home after being gone forever, it seems like. Take a day tomorrow and start up against the Angels."

On letting Darren O'Day face Jose Bautista:
"Darren's had some success against him, but not recently, I understand that. He would have faced him a couple of nights ago if the situation. ... Darren's as good as we've got in that situation. I don't think about it. Darren's gotten some big outs that may have gotten a hit off him in the last at-bat. Darren's always in attack mode. He's not going to back off from a challenge and that's why you have confidence in him.

"I'm not saying one guy's a leader of a pitching staff or a bullpen. Darren, he is what he is. He's a lot like Miggy. A lot of people on waivers told him he couldn't do this, his hip. He does things that make you have confidence in him. I think he takes great confidence in the confidence we have in him."

On Gonzalez's success vs. the Blue Jays:
"Getting any lineup out in the big leagues over five innings-plus is really hard to do. That's why starting pitchers that are good are at such a (premium). You're going to see a real good lineup Friday. You're going to see a real good lineup (Tuesday). That's why they call it the big leagues. There's a challenge around every corner. If you drop your guard, you're going to get it handed to you.

"That's what I like about our guys. They don't assume anything. If they do, there will be people to remind them how hard this is to do. Our guys realize how hard it is what we did last year, and we have something that people are going to try and come get, and we're going to try and defend it."