Buck Showalter on Miguel Gonzalez: "He's our best option"

Miguel Gonzalez posted the lowest ERA of his career last season at 3.23, allowing three earned runs or fewer in 23 of his 26 starts. He posted a 2.19 ERA in his final 11 starts, as the rotation lifted the Orioles to a division title and a berth in the American League Championship Series.

They continue to search for the same pitcher this summer. He's in the clubhouse and the rotation, but the results have been vastly different.

Gonzalez has registered a 6.48 ERA in 11 starts since coming off the disabled list on June 25. He's surrendered 22 runs in his last five starts over 25 1/3 innings. He's 2-3 with a 5.92 ERA and 1.579 WHIP in seven starts in the second half.

Not the same pitcher who flew under the radar last year while helping to lift the Orioles above the competition.

Showalter said Gonzalez will remain in the rotation. The Orioles haven't announced their starters for the four-game series in Kansas City, but Gonzalez is lined up to pitch on Tuesday.

"He's our best option," Showalter said. "I don't think twice about it."

Showalter is known to depend on the track records of players, but only "to a point." He hasn't reached the point where he's going to remove Gonzalez, who has a minor league option remaining.

Injuries at the Triple-A level aren't influencing the decision, according to Showalter. Tyler Wilson has a strained oblique and Mike Wright has a strained calf.

Asked if healthy pitching prospects at Norfolk would have made it easier to tweak the rotation, Showalter replied, "No, I don't think so. It doesn't behoove or help anybody to have a manager comment on that. No."

A new day led to an old question about Gonzalez. Why is he struggling?

"Same thing we talked about last night and his last start. Nothing's changed," Showalter said. "It's the same things he needs to get better at. Wild in the zone, hasn't been able to finish off some counts when they do get in his favor.

"There's a big difference between ball to strike breaking balls as opposed to strike to ball when you're ahead in the count. There's a big difference in splits finishing out of the zone instead of being up. You get a little tentative and you walk a couple guys, and you get a swinging bunt and a broken-bat single to right. It's very easy to figure out how it gets to that point. It's just how you get out of it."

One method is for Gonzalez to arrive early and work with pitching coach Dave Wallace, as he continues to do.

"I watch what's going on," Showalter said. "Like today at 1 o'clock, I see what's going on. They grind every day, Wally and Miguel. They're trying to figure it out."