Bundy vs. Shields today to close out series in Chicago

If anyone wants a veteran left-handed reliever, the Padres designated 39-year-old Matt Thornton for assignment yesterday afternoon.

I'm wondering if the Orioles would have interest, considering that he held left-handed hitters to a .198 average last season with the Nationals and posted a 2.18 ERA in 60 appearances.

Thornton registered a combined 1.75 ERA in 64 appearances with the Yankees and Nationals in 2014. Left-handers hit .235 off him in 2013, but right-handers hit .333.

Left-handers have hit .232 off Thornton during his major league career, but they were batting .300 this season.

Thornton missed most of the first two months with Achilles tendinitis.

Dylan Bundy has become his own tough act to follow after retiring the first 16 Colorado batters he faced on July 27 and taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the Rangers on Tuesday.

Bundy has faced the White Sox once in his career, back on April 28 when he still was a reliever. He allowed three hits in two scoreless innings.

The current White Sox are 3-for-5 against Bundy, with singles by Jose Abreu, Adam Eaton and Avisail Garcia.

Bundy has a 2.19 ERA and 0.973 WHIP in 14 games (three starts) at home and a 4.50 ERA and 1.818 WHIP in 12 games (one start) on the road.

James Shields is 3-for-6 with a 5.64 ERA and 1.599 WHIP in 11 starts since the Padres traded him to the White Sox. He's averaging 4.0 walks and 4.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

Shields registered an 11.07 ERA and 2.508 WHIP in five June starts and a 1.78 ERA and 0.991 WHIP in five July starts. In his only start this month, the collected six runs and nine hits in five innings.

The Orioles are quite familiar with Shields after facing him 26 times in his career. He's 11-7 with a 3.52 ERA against them

Adam Jones is 15-for-49 with five doubles, one triple and one home run. Chris Davis is 4-for-15 with a double and two home runs.

Manager Buck Showalter told reporters yesterday that Davis would move up in the order after batting sixth last night.

Matt Wieters is 5-for-24 with two doubles and two home runs against Shields. Mark Trumbo is 0-for-9 with six strikeouts.