Buck Showalter on the decision to give Dylan Bundy extra rest

HOUSTON - Orioles manager Buck Showalter has had to make several important decisions already, despite the fact that the 2018 season is just four games old.

He had to decide whether to bat Chris Davis first and now he has to weigh when and/or if to make any lineup changes for a slumbering offense.

But he made an interesting decision involving opening day starter Dylan Bundy. Bundy pitched seven scoreless on Thursday in Baltimore in the opening win over Minnesota. His fifth day to pitch would be tonight in Houston. After that strong outing, it would seem the Orioles would want Bundy back out on the mound again as soon as possible. But Showalter decided to give Bundy an extra day of rest and he will start here Wednesday afternoon as Mike Wright Jr. faces Justin Verlander tonight at Minute Maid Park.

Big league managers have to always manage not just for today, but keeping the 162-game long haul of the season in mind as well. With Bundy, Showalter wants him around and pitching well for that long haul. Especially considering a history which includes Tommy John surgery.

I asked the skipper yesterday why he decided to give Bundy the extra day so soon into the season?

"Because I had the opportunity," Showalter said. "And I'm not going to...Dylan is very important to us and just because somebody is feeling good and is throwing good, that doesn't mean you push them more. We do everything possible to keep everybody on our staff healthy.

"One of the toughest things managing is managing a 7-0 game (Sunday) with your bullpen so you're ready (the next day). Pretty easy to manage a bullpen when it's 3-2, 2-1. The really tough one is managing a game that looks like you are going to lose or win big, so you can be ready for the next series. Otherwise you better have a real optionable bullpen."

On five days' rest, as he is working with for this start tomorrow, Bundy is 7-5 with a 4.09 ERA in 14 career games. He has been better with an extra day beyond this. In eight career games on six days' rest, he is 3-2 with a 2.85 ERA and has struck out 9.7 batters per nine innings.

"But with Dylan, we're going to take every opportunity for that. We want him around for the long haul. Just because he got through last year healthy, doesn't mean that we throw caution to the wind. We're not going to do that.

"Same way with Alex (Cobb). Regardless of what they are doing with (Jake) Arrieta and (Lance) Lynn, I could care less. That's their business. I know how we are going to treat Alex," Showalter said.

So Wright, who is out of options, is the fifth starter at this point and will take the mound tonight. He didn't exactly win the fifth starter spot with a great spring, although he had his moments of solid pitching. But the skipper likes having a lefty (Rule 5 pick Nestor Cortes Jr.) to back up a right-handed rotation. He likes Miguel Castro as a multi-inning reliever.

So Wright gets the ball tonight. He talked about his start here.

"I think he deserves the opportunity," Showalter added. "He had a pretty good spring. I think Mike has earned that right. We think right now Miguel (Castro) helps us a lot in the bullpen. We think trying to break in Rule 5 guys and looking at the matchup with these guys. Think Nestor (Cortes Jr.) we just wanted to get him off right and understand where he is with his experience level and push him forward without going from zero to 100 right away.

"Obviously Alex is going to join us before long. We hope Mike pitches real well and we're looking for a way to take advantage of what he's doing."

Bundy threw 88 pitches, 64 for strikes in the opener against the Twins. He got swings and misses on 12 of 24 sliders. He was on his game. He looks poised for a strong start to the season.

But even with the 1-3 Orioles desperately needing a win, even though tonight is just their fifth game, with Bundy, their skipper is keeping the big picture in mind.