Showalter on roster move and more

Orioles manager Buck Showalter met with reporters earlier today and explained the Orioles' decision to designate outfielder Alejandro De Aza for assignment to clear a spot for infielder Ryan Flaherty on the 25-man roster.

De Aza batted .293/.341/.537 with five doubles, three triples, three home runs and 10 RBIs in 20 games with the Orioles last season after coming over in a trade with the White Sox. He also gave the Orioles plus-defense in left field, which was a primary reason why they made the deal.

De Aza hit .214/.277/.359 in 30 games this season and ranked second on the club in strikeouts with 34 in 103 at-bats.

The Orioles are holding onto Everth Cabrera, who no longer can be sent down without his consent, while making sure that Flaherty (groin) and J.J. Hardy (back) remain healthy.

"It's all tough," Showalter said. "Ryan's healthy and ready to go. We have to make sure that he and J.J. are fine from an infield coverage standpoint, and we've been probably an outfielder heavy. I think in the long run, like I told Alejandro, it's going to work out better for him. It gives us an opportunity to trade him, which I'm sure Dan (Duquette) looked into already. I know he has, gauging interest. If nothing works out to our satisfaction or advantage, he, like he probably would have been at the end of this year, picks and chooses from some teams that would have had interest in him. He's going to end up in a better situation. I feel good for him in the long run. I think he'll understand it as he gets away from it.

"We know he's capable of better and he'll probably be able to do that somewhere else, but we kind of got into a situation where we had to make a move. It's not going to be the first time, either. We're going to have some more of those coming up, some tough ones with other people coming back to us. That's also why we had to acquire players for the depth that we've had to have for the first part of the season."

Only Chris Davis (64) struck out more than De Aza.

"Alejandro is going to be fine," Showalter said. "It's going to be a lot easier on him than it is on, well, I shouldn't say that. I think what he did for us the last third of the season is indicative of what he is capable of and probably will do this year at some point for somebody else. But that somebody else is not in the situation that we're in as a team. Each case is different.

"Some of the struggles he had in Chicago, which is why he was available, didn't play as much. I think we will see that when he gets another opportunity. Obviously wish him well. Good teammate, professional guy, worked hard at it, and it bothered him that he couldn't get to what he was capable of. He showed flashes of it, and he will again. He's a young man."

Showalter was asked about Cabrera.

"I'm not going to get into who the competition was to take off," he replied. "I know Ryan's coming back, so a lot of people immediately think it might be an infielder, but want to make sure. I don't know what else, like the last time, that you can do with Ryan. We all know there's a different level of intensity here. I don't care what when you come up. There's no other tests or things that you can go through that Ryan hasn't gone through. But you still better cover yourself if there's an issue in case something crops up with J.J. You better be sure you're covered.

"We like our depth down there. Paul Janish, nobody catches the ball much better than him, and of course (Rey) Navarro has presented himself as an option, so we feel good about that. But we want to take each case as it comes and see what best fits for us. I'm sure you all know it, it won't be the last one we'll have to do."

Steve Pearce is starting in right field tonight. Flaherty's return lessens the need to play him at second base, and De Aza's removal opens a spot in the outfield.

"Potentially. I'm not going to commit completely to that," Showalter said. "I think we all know what Stevie is capable of. There's that possibility. There are some good options there. Steve is obviously one of them. We know he's capable of better statistically."

Showalter said the Orioles weren't sending a message with De Aza's designation, though it would appear on the surface that they're demonstrating how salary and lacking options don't guarantee a roster spot.

"I don't think that, but I could see how it looks that way," Showalter said. "I understand. I would ask the same question. This is about roster management and where we're at right now and trying to make sure that we've covered ourselves as we go forward. You just do that math of people that are coming back and some places where guys don't have options. The options are there to protect the player. That's why at some point they ran out of options, so you can't hoard players."

The roster move apparently has nothing to do with reliever Brian Matusz's pending suspension, which will force the Orioles to play a man short.

"Not related at all," Showalter said. "Brian's appealing it. He may win the appeal and not have any games. I would be surprised. Brian is a whole different case from the one that's two days before him."

Milwaukee's Will Smith also was suspending eight games for having a foreign substance on his arm.

"I look at it, I've watched both of them and they're completely different scenarios," Showalter said. "One is very obvious that something was going on.

"We can talk about it. I'm biased. I'm trying to make a good case, especially if I'm asked to testify, which I won't be asked."

Matt Wieters will move behind the plate again Thursday at Double-A Bowie after catching last night. His rehab assignment may end at Single-A Frederick or Delmarva as the Orioles search for an affiliate that's home.

"Matt did well last night," Showalter said. "He's here with us. Caught all nine innings. Got a couple of good throws off. Feels good today, more importantly."

Jonathan Schoop is making gradual progress from a knee injury.

"He's having real positive reports, good days every day," Showalter said. "The next step if you get it wrong is surgery with a ligament in the knee. He's very fortunate that this is the posterior ligament. If it was ACL or even the other one (MCL), you're probably talking about quite a long period of time before he's back playing again. Probably misses the season.

"I listen to the people that talk to him, they're around him every day. Brian Graham was down there for a while and you know everything is great, but there's still a little tentativeness with some plays. If he's walking around here you would think, jeez he's great, everything is fine. In fact, I've asked him that. If he's walking around you don't know anything is wrong with him until certain little plays. He's had, I think, 10 at-bats in sim games already.

"Certain little things you see, they say it kind of reminds you that he's not quite playing the game with abandon. Manny (Machado) has gotten to that point where it's not even a thought with him, but you know it's there. We kid about doing Tommy John on all the high school pitchers to get it over with. I don't know. We should do everybody's knee with Manny's. He feels great."

Tyler Wilson will start Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader and remain with the club through Game 2 before returning to the minors.

It's interesting that two rookies are starting the doubleheader, including Mike Wright in Game 2. I'm sure it's happened with the Orioles in the past, but I'd have to look it up.

"It's where we are and who we are," Showalter said. "We like those guys. There's only one way to find out and we thought both of those guys could impact us this year. We'll get (Kevin) Gausman back, we'll get a lot of these guys back. Wes Wright. We've just got to keep grinding. It's part of it. I bet you Tyler Wilson is excited about it.

"I do know the moxie and not being scared. He approaches every day like he is playing with house money. He's had a lot of people telling him he couldn't do something - 10th round, little short, going to be a 'tweener. All that stuff. He feeds off that. You can see it in the spring. 'Oh yeah. I'll show you.'

"You can have all that stuff. What will answer the question is the Chicago White Sox. There's not another level. I don't know what else you've got to do. We've got a lot of guys. He's not the only one. We've got guys down in Triple-A that are as good, if not better than him. Relief pitchers. We've got a lot of people down there, and Double-A."

For the Astros
George Springer RF
Jose Altuve 2B
Preston Tucker LF
Evan Gattis DH
Colby Rasmus CF
Luis Valbuena 3B
Chris Carter 1B
Jason Castro C
Marwin Gonzalez SS

Collin McHugh RHP