SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter didn't eliminate the possibility that Dylan Bundy could pitch in the majors this season.
Bundy is full-go in camp after recovering from ligament-reconstructive surgery on his right elbow in June 2013. He threw a bullpen session today and looked better as it progressed.
"Like I said all along, the governors are off on him," Showalter said following today's workout. "If you pitch good enough to be in the mix and there's a need, yes, so it's all on the opposition now. They're going to tell us how good he is.
"He's one of the 28 here in camp. We're not doing anything different with him before, after or during."
Bundy is scheduled to start the year at Double-A Bowie.
Showalter said he's hoping infielder Paul Janish, who had surgery nine days ago to remove bone chips from his right elbow, can get "into the mix toward the end." Janish already has full range of motion in the arm.
"We're not going to rush him," Showalter said. "He's a guy who could impact us. There's always a place for people who can catch a baseball like that."
There should be a place in the bullpen for Brad Brach, 28, who went 7-1 with a 3.18 ERA in 46 appearances and led American League relievers with a .875 winning percentage.
"He was pretty good for an extended period of time," Showalter said. "A lot of those guys at 27-to-31 start figuring it out. He has a different demeanor in camp because he's got some experience of success that you can tell he carries with him. You can tell he's got a little more peacock working. He knows he can do this and he did it on a pretty big stage last year."
Brach's season turned around when he tossed four scoreless innings on May 21 in Pittsburgh. He posted a 1.07 ERA in a stretch of 25 games through Sept. 2.
"That was a real contribution to our team and it wasn't necessarily in a winning cause," Showalter said. "Walk in that clubhouse and have your teammates kind of go, 'Nice going kid,' that was big. Now we're ready to fight tomorrow. We've got all our bullets back.
"Having guys like him and Mac (T.J. McFarland) and guys that can go out there and keep the other pieces intact ... I can't think of any times that I had to get somebody up behind Mac when we're behind 12-2 or ahead 12-2. To finish that game off makes our team better, and that's the things that some analytics don't show, guys who take that.
"Brad might graduate to an even more significant role, especially when there's nights when certain guys that you're counting on can't do it."
Showalter often talks about how the Orioles can "out-opportunity" other teams and allow players to get the most out of their abilities, which enables the club to sign certain free agents. He used outfielder Nolan Reimold as the latest example.
"That's why Nolan's here, that's why Nolan came back. He had three other opportunities," Showalter said.
"Nolan's going to have a good spring. He's going to make it tough on us. He looks good. He's a different looking physical guy than the guy that left us. Our timing might be real good here. He's 31 playing at about 28 as far as wear and tear."
Here are a video and photos from today's workout:
Kevin Gausman throws a bullpen session.
J.P. Arencibia participates in a catching drill.
Gausman talks about a defensive drill.
Reliever Darren O'Day plays catch.
Wei-Yin Chen walks off the field.
Hunter Harvey and O'Day run off the field.
Showalter strikes a familar spring pose.
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