Trey Mancini on trade talk, plus other O's notes (game update)

SAN DIEGO - Like many other players around the majors, the Orioles' Trey Mancini will be happy when 4 p.m. Eastern time comes and goes tomorrow and the trade deadline passes. On the subject of trade rumors, Mancini said again today that he hopes to be an Oriole for a long time. But the next few hours may prove to be nerve-wracking for him.

"I don't really anticipate anything happening, but I'm preparing myself for both sides because it's definitely something you need to mentally prepare for. Your whole life can change in an instant," he said this morning in the Orioles clubhouse.

"Every year, you see names pop up and nothing comes to fruition. I hope I'm still here Thursday. And I think I will be. You have to look at it that, it's an honor that other organizations see you as being a good player and being able to help their team. That's definitely something to be proud of."

Mancini said neither he nor his representatives have reached out to the Orioles to seek information.

"No. I know as much as everybody else," he said. "I was in the locker room last year when all the trades went down and none of the guys knew until basically right when it happened. I don't have any inside information. Just looking forward to it being four o'clock tomorrow."

In 100 games, Mancini is batting .280/.341/.532 with 24 homers and 53 RBIs. Over his past 12 games, he has seven homers and 13 RBIs.

He said the rumors can be a bit unsettling.

"Slightly. For there to be a possibility for you to move your whole life in a day to an unknown location, that's a little strange," Mancini said. "But you get called up from the minors and you have to move to a different city, so it's nothing that hasn't happened before. Your life can change pretty quickly in this game, but we all know that's what we signed up for."

Mancini has also taken note of the numerous times that executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias and manager Brandon Hyde have talked about him with such high praise. It happened again today.

"Trey is the best," said Hyde. "He's first class in every way. I just love the way he plays. How hard he plays, how intense he is. He cares. He's a team-first guy. Plays multiple positions. Plays banged up. He's just got all the intangibles and I'm a huge fan."

Mancini said at this point there has been no talk about a contract extension. He's obviously very open to the possibility.

"The organization is in a complicated situation," he said. "We're just in the start of a rebuild. I know it may not be totally likely for them to offer an extension. If they do, it's something surely we'll discuss. But I haven't been approached about anything at all."

Hyde said pitcher Chandler Shepherd was here yesterday with the team on the taxi squad in case they needed to make a pitching move today. Instead, Shepherd was activated as Dwight Smith Jr. went to the injured list with a left calf strain. Shepherd's first appearance will be his major league debut. With a day game today, the Orioles could not get a position player from the minors here in time to replace Smith. So the Orioles will play with a short bench today.

The Orioles acquired infielder José Rondón off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. He is not here for this game and will join the team for Thursday's game in Baltimore.

Hyde said, like Mancini, he's ready for the trade deadline to pass.

"I think everyone is kind of ready for tomorrow to get here and kind of move on from it. But it's part of the deal and we've been through it before," he said.

More San Diego first inning homers: It didn't happen on two pitches - it took eight - but San Diego got two more first-inning homers today and led 3-0 after the top of the first against O's right-hander Tom Eshelman. Fernando Tatis Jr. led off with No. 19 and, one out later, Manny Machado hit No. 26. Wil Myers' RBI double made it 3-0. San Diego has hit 16 homers in 28 innings this season off Baltimore pitching.

Adding on: San Diego loaded the bases in the third on two singles and a walk. Then Francisco Mejía's groundout scored a run for a 4-0 lead through three. Eshelman is at 53 pitches.

They get back in it: The Orioles scored three in the fourth to pull within 4-3. Jace Peterson had an RBI single and Richie Martin's bases-loaded single on an 0-2 pitch plated two runs.

Now a two-run lead: Padres took a 5-3 lead on Mejía's RBI infield single. First baseman Chris Davis made a diving stop along the line on the play, but the ball popped out of his glove as he rose to his feet. His toss to pitcher Gabriel Ynoa covering was late. The run was unearned due to an error on second baseman Jonathan Villar. Eshelman went four innings, allowing seven hits and four runs.

All tied up: Renato Núñez's two-run single in the seventh tied the game at 5-5.

Davis breaks through: Davis launched a solo homer off left-hander Matt Strahm in the eighth for a 6-5 Orioles lead. Davis' blast traveled 417 feet to center field and snapped an 0-for-16 slump that included 14 strikeouts. Trey Mancini later greeted reliever Michel Baez with a two-run single to make it 8-5.