Weekend pitching matchups (and other notes)

The Orioles have confirmed only two-thirds of their rotation for the Angels series at Camden Yards that closes out the first half of the season.

They still aren't listing a starter for Friday night's opener. Yovani Gallardo will pitch Saturday and Chris Tillman will pitch Sunday on normal rest.

Ubaldo Jimenez started on Sunday, and would be working on regular rest if given the ball Friday night. Dylan Bundy is also a possibility, though he hasn't gone more than three innings out of the bullpen this season.

Bundy is working on a starter's schedule to increase his effectiveness. He hasn't pitched since June 30 in Seattle, when he allowed an unearned run over 2 2/3 innings.

Bundy hasn't thrown more than 57 pitches in any appearance, reaching that mark over three scoreless innings on June 26 against the Rays.

The Orioles are down to a four-man rotation due to Thursday's off day and the All-Star break that starts Monday. Tyler Wilson was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

The adjustment also allowed the Orioles to keep eight relievers in a bullpen that's been burdened by abbreviated starts before Tillman worked seven innings last night in a 4-1 victory over the Dodgers.

Having eight relievers would free up Bundy to start if the Orioles decided to skip Jimenez, who's 5-8 with a 6.95 ERA and 1.917 WHIP in 17 games. His 48 walks are the most in the American League.

The Angels are starting Matt Shoemaker, Nick Tropeano and Tim Lincecum this weekend.

* Third baseman Manny Machado turns 24 today. His 87 home runs before his 24th birthday are the second-most in club history behind Boog Powell's 88.

Machado has hit 11 home runs as a shortstop and eight as a third baseman this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he's the first Orioles player to homer at least eight times from those two positions in the same season since Cal Ripken, Jr. hit 20 as a shortstop and eight as a third baseman in 1982, when he won the Rookie of the Year award.

* The Orioles are 3-5 on a road trip that ends later today. They're batting .282 and are averaging 5.9 runs per game, but the staff ERA is 6.85.

The starters have posted a 6.75 ERA in 40 innings and the bullpen has posted a 7.00 ERA in 27 innings. However, Brad Brach struck out the side last night in the eighth inning to lower his ERA to 0.99, and closer Zach Britton converted his 24th save opportunity to remain perfect and lower his ERA to 0.78.

Brach has struck out 53 batters and walked 13 in 45 2/3 innings.

Britton is three saves shy of becoming the fifth pitcher to record 100 career saves with the Orioles, joining Gregg Olson (160), Jim Johnson (122), Tippy Martinez (105) and Stu Miller (100). His 24 saves this season lead the AL and rank fifth in the majors.

* The Orioles named Single-A Delmarva right-hander Cristian Alvarado, 21, as the organization's Pitcher of the Month for June.

Alvarado, who was also named the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week, was 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA in six starts. He limited opposing hitters to a .205 average while allowing 26 hits, walking four batters and striking out 39 in 35 innings.