Blowouts building against .500 Orioles

It's not just the losses, it's the string of blowouts that raise the level of concern to dizzying heights.

The Orioles lost their makeup game to the Nationals 6-1 before heading to New York, where they were outscored 38-8. The last-place White Sox led 10-2 in the seventh last night and beat the Orioles 10-7 in Chicago, putting them at .500 for the first time since the end of the 2015 season.

They're on the verge of being the last-place Orioles, their hold on fourth down to a half-game after five consecutive defeats and seven in nine.

The starting pitching is a mess beyond Dylan Bundy, and how many innings can the Orioles pile on his arm after he threw 109 2/3 last season? He's already up to 82 2/3.

Wade Miley lasted only 2 1/3 last night, allowing six runs and six hits and walking two batters. He's totaled five innings in his last two outings and hasn't exceeded five in eight of 13 starts, including the "line drive game."

The starters minus Bundy have worked 2 2/3, four, 1 1/3, 3 1/3 and 2 1/3 innings in five games.

Director of scouting Gary Rajsich said DL Hall, the Orioles' first-round pick last night of out Valdosta High School in Georgia, is projected to be in the rotation "in the near future."

How does Thursday sound?

Seriously though, it's bold to expect a high school pitcher to contribute anytime soon, but he's apparently a special talent and these are desperate times.

I'd put D.L. Hughley on the mound if I thought he could go six innings.

First baseman Chris Davis exited last night's game with a strained right oblique after lining out with the bases loaded. He went on the disabled list in 2014 with a strained left oblique that robbed him of his opposite-field power.

Is it time to purchase Pedro Álvarez's contract? Trey Mancini and Mark Trumbo can play first base.

Alec Asher has allowed six runs and 12 hits in 18 2/3 innings in his three good starts, and 11 runs and 13 hits in six innings in his two bad starts. The Orioles can't afford to have him at .500. They need quality from him tonight.

Asher relieved Chris Tillman on May 7 and shut out the White Sox over 3 1/3 innings in a 4-0 win.

Todd Frazier is 2-for-2 against Asher and Melky Cabrera and Yolmer Sánchez are 1-for-2, for you small sample size enthusiasts.

Left-hander Derek Holland has a 3.99 ERA and 1.433 WHIP in 12 starts over 67 2/3 innings in his first season with the White Sox after spending eight with the Rangers. Left-handers are hitting .200 against him this season and right-handers are hitting .274.

Holland is 5-2 with a 3.21 ERA in nine career games (eight starts) against the Orioles, with a 1.256 WHIP in 53 1/3 innings. Trumbo is 15-for-47 (.319) with three doubles, five home runs and 12 RBIs. He's the only current Oriole who's homered off Holland.

J.J. Hardy is 3-for-16 and Davis is 2-for-14 with nine strikeouts.