Aquino's start and some familiar faces on the other side

MILWAUKEE - Get ready for more roster moves today, with Zach Britton coming off the disabled list and Chris Tillman going on paternity leave.

Tyler Wilson was optioned one day after the Orioles recalled him from Triple-A Norfolk to provide a long reliever. Left-hander Jayson Aquino is taking Tillman's spot in the rotation for the series finale against the Brewers. Ryan Flaherty could be transferred to the 60-day disabled list to create a spot for Britton on the 40-man roster.

"I'm thankful to the Orioles for this opportunity and just getting ready for (tonight)," Aquino said through interpreter Ramon Alarcon.

Aquino allowed one earned run or fewer in three of his last four starts with Norfolk, though he was pulled after only 2 2/3 innings in his most recent outing to keep him available tonight.

"I'm working on the small things, just making sure my mechanics are in sync, concentrating on throwing the ball low in the zone," he said. "Those things are the ones that are working really well right now."

Aquino has made three appearances with the Orioles, allowing eight runs and 10 hits in eight innings. He's walked six batters, struck out six and surrendered three home runs.

The rotation was much kinder to Aquino. In his only major league start, he held the Red Sox to two runs over six innings on April 22.

Travis Shaw struck out in his only at-bat against Aquino before the Brewers acquired him from the Red Sox.

Aquino said his past experiences with the Orioles are "a confidence booster" heading into tonight's assignment.

"I've always been very confident in my abilities," he said, "but definitely being able to do it previously and now getting another chance today, I just feel a lot of confidence."

The Orioles kept Aquino in Norfolk's rotation while bringing up other starters, including Wilson, as bullpen arms. Aquino took it as a compliment of sorts rather than a snub.

"It just tells me that the team believes in me and I really believe in myself," he said. "I'm confident that I can do a (good) job over here, especially as a starter, so I'm looking forward to it."

Matt Garza, starting tonight for Milwaukee, is 9-1 with a 3.11 ERA in 13 career starts against the Orioles. Adam Jones is 8-for-23 (.348) with a double and two home runs. Welington Castillo has four hits - three doubles and a home run - in 15 at-bats.

Mark Trumbo's X-ray on his left calf yesterday came back negative, but there could be more tests. Trumbo's inclusion in tonight's lineup is far from a certainty.

"It got a negative on this X-ray," said manager Buck Showalter, perhaps suggesting that one X-ray wasn't enough to satisfy him.

The series at Miller Park puts the Orioles face-to-face with three pitchers they relinquished over the past few years.

Reliever Oliver Drake is the most easily excused because he's out of options, posted an 8.78 ERA and .383 average-against in spring training and had an 8.10 ERA and 2.700 WHIP in 3 1/3 innings in the regular season. He still broke camp with the team, but was traded on April 13 for a player to be named later or cash.

Drake, who pitched at the Naval Academy and was a nice local story, is 3-2 with a 4.40 ERA in 34 appearances with the Brewers. He's averaging 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings. And he remains popular with his former teammates.

Mychal Givens had an extended conversation with Drake on the field Monday morning before batting practice, and Darren O'Day did the same with him yesterday. Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop sneaked up behind him and got in their hugs.

Zach Davies stings because of the club's rotation issues and how he netted outfielder Gerardo Parra, a 2015 non-waiver trade deadline rental who didn't make an impact.

Davies is 23-13 with a 4.27 ERA in 51 starts with the Brewers. His ERA has climbed from 3.97 last season to 5.03, and his WHIP has increased from 1.249 to 1.500. His strikeouts per nine innings have declined from 7.4 to 5.9.

Who knows how his stuff would play in the American League East? But the Orioles, if able to turn back time, probably would be willing to find out as they keep shuttling players from Norfolk to the majors.

I can't be too critical of the deal because I understand how contenders must sacrifice prospects for what they hope is a final piece that brings a championship, or at least a chance to roll the dice in October, as Showalter likes to preach. It just didn't work out. The Orioles failed to make the playoffs in 2015 and needed to win their last five games to finish .500.

It also should be noted that Davies, a 26th-round draft pick, wasn't regarded throughout the organization as a slam-dunk major leaguer, though he was an intriguing prospect with a 2.84 ERA in 19 games at Norfolk before the trade. It looks like a stiff breeze would snap him in half, but his 17 starts tied for first in the National League heading into yesterday's slate.

Losing left-hander Josh Hader might leave the biggest mark because he looks like a budding star. The Orioles included him in the Bud Norris trade, a much bigger sacrifice than outfielder LJ Hoes. It still hurts some folks in the organization.

Norris won 15 games and Game 3 of the American League Division Series in 2014, which never should be forgotten. But Hader was a local kid from Old Mill High School with a deceptive delivery and velocity that had made a significant jump. The Astros packaged him in 2015 in a deal for outfielder Carlos Gomez, and now he's in the Brewers bullpen with 9 1/3 scoreless innings.

Only two hits allowed, but eight walks. He isn't a finished product.

I wonder if the Orioles would have kept him in a starting role. Others view him as the next coming of Andrew Miller. Maybe his 5.28 ERA and 1.479 WHIP in 26 Triple-A starts factored into it.