ARLINGTON, Texas - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said the club is leaning toward placing pitcher Miguel Gonzalez on the 15-day disabled list.
Gonzalez underwent an MRI this afternoon after complaining of pain on his right side. The results were more favorable than anticipated, but he's still expected to go on the DL. A decision will be made by Friday.
Left-hander T.J. McFarland and Kevin Gausman are the other candidates to start Saturday.
"MRI was better than we thought it might be, so we don't think it's something long-term," Showalter said after the Orioles' 6-5 win over the Rangers. "With the five days behind us now and if he can't pitch Saturday, we'd probably try to clear it completely up. But from what all indications are, he will probably be able to pitch within the DL period, but you don't know for sure. I think if he can't pitch Saturday, we'll DL him."
Bud Norris came out of tonight's game after five innings with a bruised right forearm after being hit by a comebacker from Mitch Moreland. Adrian Beltre followed with a game-tying three-run homer.
"I think he'll be fine," Showalter said. "He made some good pitches after he got hit. He threw a couple fastballs by him in a good location. Just go that one. But it's typical Bud. Battled, didn't break, kept us in it. I know he's a little disappointed. He pitched well enough probably get the win and he did.
"I thought McFarland was one of the keys tonight. Darren (O'Day) was outstanding again and Zach (Britton) did what he needed to do."
Beltre is batting .463 with nine homers and 18 RBIs in his last 10 games against the Orioles.
"I don't feel like he's picking on us," Showalter said. "He picks on everybody. He's a great player. He's one of those guys you keep looking in the batting order when he's going to hit again, trying to figure out a way to keep him from hitting again. Of course, (Alex) Rios is doing a great job behind him, too, so you pick your poison."
Nick Markakis broke the 5-5 tie with an RBI single off Rangers left-hander Aaron Poreda.
"That's the thing about left-right," Showalter said. "You're thinking about bunting him and then you see the left-hander in the bullpen. It doesn't really matter with Nick. There's so few left-handed hitters that can do that. He's one of three or four in baseball that left-right doesn't matter."
The Orioles have scored 27 runs and collected 50 hits in the last four games.
"We just keep grinding through the road trip," Showalter said. "I've said 100 times about trusting the track record and it will happen. It's just too many good players with good skills. It's just kind of frustrating because you want it to be there every night and as much as you work toward it to be perfect, it's not always that way."
The Rangers observed a moment of silence in the seventh inning for former manager Don Zimmer, who passed away tonight at age 83.
"The interaction I had with Don and everybody who had it, he always had time for you," Showalter said. "The thing a lot of people miss because he was such a character in the game was what a great baseball man he was. Very open to people about sharing his knowledge, always had time for you, smile on his face. But boy, what a competitor. What a competitor. It's sad."
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