Does O'Day return to usual set-up role? (O's win 5-4)

With Darren O'Day making it through his second simulated game, everything about it making the Orioles more confident that he'll come off the disabled list in a few days, the question is how he's going to be used.

Does O'Day go back to his usual eighth inning set-up role or is he eased back into it?

O'Day hasn't pitched since Aug. 11 in Oakland, when he allowed two runs and walked a batter in one-third of an inning and alerted manager Buck Showalter to his shoulder discomfort. He's made eight appearances since June 1, his first stop on the disabled list the result of a strained hamstring.

Showalter won't withhold O'Day from the eighth inning, but he can't map out a plan within baseball's unpredictable nature.

"If that presents itself, that would be the perfect world, but the other team in the game doesn't always cooperate with you," he said. "I think Darren, you'd like to do it that way but it may not present itself as such. If we feel like he's our best option to win a game, to get an out, then we'll do that, but I hope it happens the other way. But it seems to follow suit that the game doesn't cooperate with you. We'll see.

"It's not like it's May or June. Tough to, I wouldn't call it 'experiment,' but I think Darren will adapt to whatever role we need from him. But I think he'll also present himself back in the capacity he was before shortly."

O'Day threw 26 pitches in his simulated game before talking to Showalter on the field.

"It went well," Showalter said. "I'm sure you all probably saw it. He'll take tomorrow off and provided he feels OK, we'll make a decision on Sunday or Monday.

"Felt pretty good and we'll see what tomorrow brings. It's a day game Sunday, so I don't know if that'll figure into their thinking or not."

Mark Trumbo isn't in tonight's lineup because of back spasms. The major league leader in home runs with 42 could be used later as a pinch-hitter if his condition improves.

"Something he told me he has a couple times a year, manages pretty quickly," Showalter said. "Hopefully, he'll manage by game time and he'll be available to us. That's the way I'll present it and see what happens.

"Doc will see him when he comes in here and he'll be treated accordingly. Hopefully, he'll be back in the starting lineup tomorrow. We'll see."

The Orioles may not see Joey Rickard for the rest of the season. His simulated game today in Sarasota raised serious doubts about his availability moving forward.

"Rickard started his facing live pitching and it did not go well, so we'll see how he feels later on," Showalter said. "Took one or two swings and went in. That kind of plays into whether or not ... We were kind of waiting on him. We thought he might be with us Monday, and it doesn't look like that's going to happen, so with him and Steve Pearce and now Trum, we may have to go grab somebody."

I'm going to predict that the Orioles recall Dariel Alvarez, but that's just a guess.

Trumbo and Chris Davis were back-to-back in the lineup again last night and went a combined 0-for-8 with two walks and four strikeouts. Two of the strikeouts came in the ninth inning after Jonathan Schoop and Manny Machado singled with one out and the Orioles down 7-6.

Davis has struck out 199 times this season to lead the majors. Trumbo is ninth with 156 and he's batting .181/.262/.414 in the second half.

Has Showalter considered slotting someone between them in the lineup?

"Yeah, we have, we have at times," he said. "It's something John (Russell) and I talk about a lot. And then they go through periods, especially, Mark, where you just want to see how many times he gets up there.

"And if so, who? Is it (Jonathan) Schoop? Who is it? I think our biggest challenge if you want to do that, and we've talked about it, is if so, who? Move Adam (Jones) down and who leads off? We thought about that a lot, it comes up a lot."

Update: The Orioles gave up another first-inning home run to the Rays. Evan Longoria hit a two-run shot off Ubaldo Jimenez for a 2-0 lead.

Update II: Richie Shaffer hit a two-run homer in the second and the Orioles are down 4-0.

The Rays committed two errors in the bottom of the first, but Chris Davis grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the rally.

Update III: Pedro Alvarez hit his 21st home run and the Orioles reduced the lead to 4-1 in the second inning. Alvarez's shot was measured by Statcast at 436 feet.

Update IV: Chris Davis led off the fourth inning with his 38th home run to cut the Rays' lead to 4-2. Davis went to the opposite field.

Update V: The Orioles scored once in the seventh on Hyun Soo Kim's RBI single, but they should have gotten a lot more - and the lead.

Kim was robbed of a grand slam after center fielder Kevin Kiermaier leaped and brought the ball back into play. It popped out of his glove, but J.J. Hardy was the only player to score.

The bases remained loaded with one out, but Manny Machado and Davis struck out against reliever Danny Farquhar. Davis has fanned 201 times this season.

Jimenez allowed four runs and seven hits in seven innings, with no walks, eight strikeouts and two home runs. He threw 92 pitches, 63 for strikes.

Update VI: This time, the Orioles wouldn't be denied.

They loaded the bases with no outs in the eight against Brad Boxberger on two walks and a hit batter. Hardy reached on an infield single, his third hit of the night, to tie the game and Michael Bourn's sacrifice fly gave the Orioles a 5-4 lead.

Brad Brach pitched a scoreless eighth. Zach Britton is warming.

Update VII: The Orioles rallied to beat the Rays 5-4, with Brach earning his ninth win and Britton his 44th save.

It was crazy at the end. Mikie Mahtook singled with two outs and tried to score on Alexei Ramirez's single near the left field line. Mahtook was out at the plate and the call stood after a review. Wieters wasn't called for blocking the plate.

Bourn to Manny Machado to Wieters. Game over.

The Orioles improved to 81-66 overall and 46-26 at home. They're 12-5 versus the Rays.