Forget what I wrote earlier about Robert Andino beginning his injury-rehab assignment next week at Double-A Bowie. The Orioles have decided to get him started earlier and at a higher level.
The team announced that Andino will play at Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday and Monday. He's eligible to come off the disabled list on Tuesday and could join the team in New York.
Andino is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a strained left shoulder. He fielded ground balls during batting practice today without any discomfort, prompting the Orioles to tweak his assignment.
It's possible that the Orioles stay with a three-man bench until activating Andino on Tuesday, perhaps optioning reliever Miguel Socolovich. Then again, the roster could undergo more changes with the non-waiver trade deadline arriving on the same day.
Meanwhile, left-hander Zach Britton allowed four runs in the first inning, the last two on a long home run by Chris Carter.
I thought he only scored touchdowns.
Britton, who threw 31 pitches in the inning, walked Jonny Gomes with one out and gave up a triple to Josh Reddick on a ball that hopped over first base. Reddick came home on a wild pitch, Yoenis Cespedes singled and Carter found the seats in left field.
Britton retired the next two batters, but the damage was done.
Update: Britton gave up another homer in the second, with Brandon Hicks' solo shot increasing Oakland's lead to 5-0.
Britton has thrown 48 pitches in two innings.
Chris Davis cut into the lead with a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the second. Davis homered and drove in four runs yesterday.
The guys is streaky, in case you hadn't noticed.
In case you missed it, FOX Sports reported that the Brewers traded pitcher Zack Greinke to the Angels for shortstop Jean Segura and Double-A pitchers Ariel Pena and Johnny Hellweg.
The Orioles weren't serious players for Greinke. They remain limited in trade talks by their insistence on keeping Dylan Bundy and Manny Machado out of the discussions.
Also, Steve Pearce's DFA period could run a few more days. He still hasn't been placed on 72-hour waivers, so a resolution could stretch three days beyond the DFA period.
In other words, it could be 13 days since the date that he was designated before we know whether he's staying in the organization.
As I tweeted earlier, Omar Minaya, the Padres' senior vice president of baseball operations, is attending tonight's game. Minaya has been checking out various teams.
The Orioles and Athletics retain interest in Padres third baseman Chase Headley.
Update II: Nick Markakis walked with two outs in the third and scored on J.J. Hardy's double off the left field fence. Hardy barely missed a home run.
Down on the farm, Triple-A Norfolk's Jake Arrieta allowed three runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings in Game 1 of a doubleheader. He walked three, struck out two, allowed a home run and threw a wild pitch.
Arrieta threw 100 pitches, 57 for strikes.
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