Hearing from Showalter, Tillman and Gausman after 6-4 loss

LAKELAND, Fla. - Victor Martinez's long two-run homer off Kevin Gausman in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Tigers a 6-4 win over the Orioles at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Jayson Nix had tied the game 4-4 with a home run in the top half of the inning.

Gausman struck out two batters in his only inning. Afterward, manager Buck Showalter said the club will shorten him up in case he's assigned to the bullpen.

"Might bring Gaus back shorter until everything shakes out," Showalter said. "I want him to be ready to do both things."

Showalter still has six starters for five spots, which could force him to move one of them into the bullpen.

"There's a possibility for everybody," he said. "Really, all options open right now. We've got some time to make decisions. Dealing from some quality right now. I don't worry about it a lot because we're picking from a number of people we like as opposed to last man standing."

Starter Chris Tillman was allowed to come back out for the sixth inning and retired the first batter on three pitches, all of them strikes, before heading to the clubhouse.

"Wanted to get him up for the sixth inning," Showalter said. "This is a night where he could have gone seven or eight, I think. Efficient with his pitches. He was good.

"Balls were flying out of here. Of course, a couple of them were legit."

Tillman is aware of recent reports that have surfaced about contract extension talks between the Orioles and his agent. The sides actually had the same conversation in December before Tillman signed for 2015 and avoided arbitration. What's happening now isn't new ground.

"I'm always open to it," Tillman said. "I think I'm in the same position as I was when we talked last time. I'm letting him do all the work. I hear about, read about it, but I told him not to come to me unless we've got something for sure. Same place we were last time we talked."

Executive vice president Dan Duquette, in a text message, said an extension "currently is being considered." It doesn't appear that the sides have discussed money, which leaves me to question whether the talks qualify as negotiations.

"I'm pretty much leaving it up to (the agent) right now," Tillman said. "He's said a few things, but not to the point of where I really need to get involved. I do my homework and I know what's going on. To tell the truth, let them do what they need to do.

"I get asked about it in the clubhouse all the time. I try to stay away from that and get ready for the season."

Neither side seems inclined to negotiate past opening day.

"I'd rather not," said Tillman who will earn $4.32 million this season after being arbitration-eligible for the first time. "I've been told we're not going to continue that into the season. We've got two weeks for the most part. I don't know how long we have, but I don't think we would, no."

As for today's start, Tillman was pleased with his strong finish. He retired the last eight batters.

"It was good," he said. "I was a little out of whack to start the game, but it got better as we went. I was able to mix all my pitches later on as opposed to just fastball, cutter. It got better as it went and I was happy with the way it ended up."

The Orioles will be happier to break camp and start the season.

"It's coming up and I think we're all ready," Tillman said. "Get out of here and start playing baseball up north. It's exciting and I think we're all looking forward to it."

Tillman was facing a dangerous Tigers lineup that will closely resemble the one trotted out on opening day.

"Probably the best lineup you're going to see during the season," he said. "They're deep. They squared up a lot of balls today and they also hit some soft balls, too. It was kind of mixed, kind of evened itself out both ways and it was good to face a lineup like that for sure."

Said Showalter: "That's one reason we brought him over here."

"I couldn't imagine anything else Tilly could do to make us think he's ready to start the year," Showalter added. "It's not that far away now."

Gausman was expected to follow Tillman to the mound and go multiple innings, but Tommy Hunter threw 1 2/3 innings and allowed two home runs. Gausman was held back for the eighth.

"Yeah, they just told me that Tilly was starting and there were innings to be had and said we want you to come," Gausman said. "I didn't know if I was going to go multiple innings or just one, but I knew coming out of the 'pen, especially on the road, it could be eight innings."

Gausman hasn't been told whether he might begin the season in the bullpen.

"Obviously, I think I showed last year that I can pitch out there," he said. "I feel good out there, but I also feel comfortable starting, so that's pretty much their decision."

Martinez crushed a splitter from Gausman with the score tied 4-4 in the eighth.

"Physically, I felt great," Gausman said. "The arm felt great. It felt like the ball was coming out pretty easy. I left one split up and to a good hitter that's what he's going to do."