Bundy back at The Trop for another start

ST. PETERBURG, Fla. - Orioles outfielder Joey Rickard is on a hitting progression at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota. Cleared to perform all baseball activities, he's swinging a bat and hoping to be ready to play when eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list on Sept. 19.

Whether that's too ambitious is yet to be determined.

The minor league seasons are over, but simulated games can be arranged. And Rickard can get all the at-bats he needs without any rules. Lead off every inning. Be a one-man team.

Meanwhile, Dylan Bundy is back where it started. Back where he first started.

He doesn't need another reminder. It already hit him.

Bundy moved from the bullpen to the rotation on July 17 at Tropicana Field. This afternoon marks his 11th major league start, the restrictions on his innings and pitch counts loosened.

The Rays hit three home runs off Bundy in 3 1/3 innings and totaled four runs and five hits in a 5-2 victory over the Orioles. Bundy walked three batters and struck out four.

Evan Longeria homered with two outs in the first, Oswaldo Arcia hit a two-run shot with two outs in the second and Brad Miller homered to lead off the third.

"I thought about it the other day," Bundy said. "I was walking down the hallway and I was like, 'This is where I made my first start.' Kind of where it all started, I guess. It just brought me back to it. And I remember the outing."

A smile creases Bundy's face.

"Didn't go great," he said, "but had to start somewhere and this is where it was."

Bundy was removed after 70 pitches. He threw a career-high 97 in his most recent outing, when he shut out the Yankees on two hits over 5 2/3 innings, and has won five of his last seven starts.

"It's gone by so fast," he said. "I've already made nine or 10 starts since then and it's gone by real quick. Just trying to take it all in as I can this year."

While still in a relief role, Bundy faced the Rays on June 26 and tossed three scoreless innings with no walks and four strikeouts to earn his third "hold."

Bundy is 4-2 with a 2.72 ERA and 1.132 WHIP in 53 innings at home and 4-3 with a 4.54 ERA and 1.593 WHIP in 37 2/3 innings on the road.

The Orioles are keeping close watch on the rookie, but have no plans to shut him down.

"Physically, I feel great," he said. "Just listening to my body, taking days off when I need to and keeping up with the workouts and keeping up with the arm care, and I think that makes a big difference."

The Orioles are 20-18 against left-handed starters, and they're facing Drew Smyly tonight for the second time this season.

Smyly allowed eight runs and 10 hits over five innings on June 26 at Camden Yards, striking out six batters and serving up home runs to Chris Davis, Jonathan Schoop and Mark Trumbo.

The Orioles caught Smyly at the right time. He's registered six quality starts in his last eight outings.

Smyly is 4-1 with a 3.22 ERA in nine career games (six starts) against the Orioles. Manny Machado is 4-for-12 with two doubles, Caleb Joseph is 3-for-8, Matt Wieters is 2-for-5 with a double, Adam Jones is 4-for-20 with a double and home run, Davis is 3-for-19 with three home runs and 12 strikeouts and J.J. Hardy is 1-for-12 with a home run.

Smyly has held left-handers to a .202 average during his career, but they're batting .256 this season, with right-handers hitting .255. Does manager Buck Showalter lean on a larger sample size or what Smyly's doing in 2016?

If Showalter wants more right-handers in the lineup, he may have to ignore how Michael Bourn is 4-for-9 against Smyly. Drew Stubbs is 1-for-4 with a home run, Nolan Reimold is 1-for-8 and Steve Pearce is 2-for-12 with a home run.

Davis' home run last night gave him 334 extra-base hits as an Oriole to tie B.J. Surhoff for 14th place.