Updating the rotation and O'Day (O's win 3-2)

While the Orioles rotation remains a work in progress coming out of the All-Star break, manager Buck Showalter confirmed today that Mike Wright will start Thursday for Triple-A Norfolk and Tyler Wilson will take the mound on Friday.

Showalter said Wilson will be held to three innings, making him a candidate to be recalled and fill out the Orioles rotation.

"It depends how much you let them pitch that day," Showalter said, also referencing Wright, who was optioned last night. "Tyler is going to go three innings that day. We'll see how many Mike goes. Keep all our options open. The 10 days will be up."

Here's what I know about the rotation coming out of the break: Yovani Gallardo is scheduled to pitch Friday night against the Rays at Tropicana Field, followed by Chris Tillman next Saturday. This is barring a late change, of course.

Kevin Gausman is expected to open the Yankees series on July 18 in the Bronx. But if that's the case, who starts the previous afternoon versus the Rays to close out that series?

It won't be Cody Sedlock, this year's first-round pick who makes his professional debut tonight for short-season Single-A Aberdeen, but Showalter joked about the possibility.

"That's his last start there," Showalter quipped, "before he joins us in Tampa."

The Orioles will shut down Sedlock at some point, but he'd love to tempt them.

Nothing new on reliever Darren O'Day. He threw off flat ground yesterday and will do it again Sunday before flying to Sarasota. He'll rejoin the team in St. Petersburg, Fla.

(Getting technical here. You fly into Tampa, but the games are played in St. Pete.)

O'Day is making a slow recovery from his hamstring injury, a pace that isn't unexpected.

"I've been saying this for a while, and I told everybody from the get-go, this is a different type of hamstring (injury)," Showalter said. "I'm hoping that he'll join us in the locker room in Tampa when we get there, so I'm hoping by that time we've got some real positive movement. He's up on the hill and throwing. But I can't tell you it's going to happen anytime soon, so to put a timeframe on it ... We've been told and it's come to pass that it might be a while.

"We need him back. We need to get him back."

Without question. O'Day's absence is putting additional strain on a bullpen with a revolving door.

"Because of his ability to defend himself against left-handed hitters, this has been a challenge for us," Showalter said. "That's hurt. Anytime you can bring a guy in and pitch a complete inning without having to get other people up, like Darren and Brad (Brach) and Mychal (Givens) some ...

"It's hurt Mychal more than most people because he was kind of in that come in and nothing to lose, kind of ambush (mode). You start counting on that with that kind of experience, it kind of comes and goes. That's been a challenge for us."

Showalter then put his spin on a famous line from the movie "Jerry Maguire."

"He kind of completes the bullpen, so to speak," Showalter said.

Show him the results.

"It's an opportunity for somebody else," Showalter said. "Chaz (Roe) threw the ball real well last night, In fact, his last outing. Through the loss of Darren, there's an opportunity for someone else. He pitched real well for us until he ran out of gas."

Update: Mark Trumbo led off the bottom of the second inning with his 28th home run and his fourth in three games to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.

Update II: Daniel Nava's two-run single to right field gave the Angels a 2-1 lead in the sixth and spelled the end for Yovani Galalrdo, who faced four batters in the inning without recording an out.

Two singles, a walk and the two-run single left Gallardo with two runs in five-plus innings, along with six hits, four walks, two strikeouts and wild pitch. He threw 95 pitches, 49 for strikes.

Mychal Givens entered the game and issued a walk to load the bases before getting a fly ball and double play.

Update III: Angels reliever Joe Smith balked in the tying run with two outs in the seventh and Adam Jones at the plate. He dropped the ball while standing on the pitching rubber, allowing Jonathan Schoop to come home.

Update IV: The Orioles took a 3-2 lead against Smith in the eighth on singles by Manny Machado, Chris Davis and Jonathan Schoop.

Update V: The Orioles held on for a 3-2 win and expanded their lead to two games in the American League East.

Brad Brach (6-1) got the win with a scoreless eighth and Zach Britton recorded his 26th save.

The Orioles are 50-36 overall, 32-14 at home and 42-0 when leading after the eighth inning. They're 9-8 in one-run games.