Gunkel optioned, Joseph update and wrapping up 6-4 win

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles optioned pitcher Joe Gunkel to Triple-A Norfolk following today's 6-4 win over the Phillies at Ed Smith Stadium.

Gunkel made three Grapefruit League appearances this spring and allowed five runs and nine hits in four innings. The Orioles put him on the 40-man roster to protect him in the Rule 5 draft.

Today is the first day that teams can option players who were placed on the 40-man roster for the first time or put Rule 5 picks on waivers and offer them back to their original teams if they clear.

The Orioles have 51 players in camp, including 15 non-roster invitees.

Caleb Joseph said he should be fine to catch on Tuesday after being hit today above the left elbow by a Mark Appel pitch in the seventh inning. Manager Buck Showalter planned on using Joseph in back-to-back games, but must check on him in the morning.

"I'll probably be ready to go," Joseph said. "It's just a mere flesh wound. No, it hurt. You get those ones that kind of get you in the meat more and those just kind of hurt. This one kind of stung/hurt and numbed up at the same time, but I'll be all right. It's better than last year's ... injury, right?

"I'm fine, I'll be all right. Nothing that a little ice and bandages can't take care of. I'll be ready to go and if he puts me back there, then ... But of course, you never know. Maybe you wake up tomorrow and ... But I fully anticipate being ready to go tomorrow."

No X-rays are scheduled for Joseph, who hit his second spring home run today.

"No bone, just mere flesh wound," he said. "We'll be all right."

Joseph said he would have come out of the game anyway in the seventh.

"That was right on the button, right above the elbow," Showalter said. "We'll see how it is tomorrow."

The Orioles are backing off pitcher Chris Tillman for a couple of days to see how his shoulder responds. He could receive a cortisone injection.

"I don't think we'll have any new information on him for a day or two," Showalter said. "Kind of let it quiet down and see what happens. I know they're contemplating a couple of options if it doesn't go well.

"Just want to make sure that (the antibiotic) isn't some of the problem."

The Orioles are waiting for it to leave his system after changing his medication.

"We're including all the options. I think we'll get a direction in a couple of days," Showalter said.

An extended inactive period would require Tillman to start from scratch at camp, with flat ground throws followed by a flat mound session, a half mound, a full mound, etc.

"Who knows? Two days from now he could feel fine, but once you go down the injection thing, we might be able to gain a little ground on it, but I don't think anything that's going to put him as an option to start the season," Showalter said.

"He's been pretty good because he's still holding out hope that in a day or two it's fine and I think he knows it's when, not if. I hope that's the case, but we'll see.

"We've got a pretty good feel for where he is structurally and he should be able to get through this."

Pedro Álvarez will be used as the designated hitter Wednesday against the Pirates in Bradenton or in Friday morning's B game in Sarasota. No immediate plans for Álvarez to start a game in the outfield.

"I talked to him about it today," Showalter said. "He's ready to go."

The Orioles will need to remove some outfielders from their camp roster to present more opportunities for Álvarez and Trey Mancini.

Mancini ran down a couple of doubles today in right field, but otherwise didn't see much action.

"That's a long process, but he didn't look uncomfortable out there," Showalter said. "Just a lot of reps. Kind of like the same conversation I had today with Pedro Álvarez. As much as you work on certain fundamentals of outfield play, a lot of it comes from reps, just getting used to seeing it.

"The good thing with Trey is he's used to seeing the ball from that angle off his playing time (at first base). Obviously, a lot deeper and a different look. Sometimes, it's a challenge when you take a third baseman and put him in right field or a first baseman and put him in left field. It's a whole different look for him."

Showalter said shortstop J.J. Hardy felt good today. "He had a couple testers, too."

Kevin Gausman ran his pitch count above 60 in three innings while allowing two runs (one earned).

"Couldn't quite finish off some counts, got a little deeper in the counts than he'd like to," Showalter said. "The positive thing is he got his pitch count where he needed it to be. We were hoping to have four (innings) out of it, but arm strength and the health is there, so he's where he needs to be. Results aren't what he hoped to get, but he was crisp, felt good."