Jimenez gets another chance in the rotation

Ubaldo Jimenez has gone from demoted starter to potential stopper.

In case you've forgotten, baseball is a funny game.

Jimenez retired one Toronto batter on June 12 and was sent to the bullpen, where he made one appearance against the Blue Jays that also was unacceptable.

Five runs and four hits in 2 1/3 innings. Two walks and two home runs. Nothing about the outing spelled relief.

Get him away from the Blue Jays.

Get him back into the rotation, at least temporarily while the Padres are in town.

Manager Buck Showalter needed a starter tonight and he chose Jimenez over Mike Wright, who still could be recalled today if reliever Brian Duensing goes on the disabled list. Wright is scheduled to start tonight for Triple-A Norfolk, but let's see whether he's scratched.

The rotation can be tweaked again with Thursday's off-day and Saturday's doubleheader against the Rays. Don't get too comfortable trying to memorize it.

Jimenez is 3-7 with a 7.34 ERA and 2.000 WHIP in 14 games over 65 innings this season. His inning counts over his last seven starts read five, 4 1/3, 5 2/3, 1 2/3, five, five and one-third.

Jimenez is 7-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 13 career starts against the Padres, with 92 strikeouts in 75 1/3 innings. Maybe he'll experience a flashback.

Matt Kemp is 12-for-38 with three doubles, a triple and two home runs against Jimenez. Melvin Upton Jr. is 5-for-14 with a double and Jon Jay is 3-for-8 with two doubles.

The Orioles are facing another Padres pitcher tonight who hasn't thrown to any of their hitters. And not because he's been hiding in the National League West.

The White Sox traded Erik Johnson and Fernando Tatis Jr. to the Padres on June 4 for James Shields. Johnson has made two starts with his new club and allowed 10 runs and 16 hits in 10 2/3 innings, with four walks, five strikeouts and five home runs.

Johnson, a second-round pick in 2011, is 0-4 with a 7.66 ERA in four starts this season. Right-handers are hitting .364 against him and left-handers are hitting .292.

This is a reversal from his career numbers. Right-handers are hitting .257 and left-handers are batting .309.

Baseball really is a funny game.

The Orioles must play one more game without Manny Machado and they're short an infielder after outrighting Paul Janish to Norfolk.

"Paul's a pro," Showalter told reporters yesterday. "Hopefully, he is going to go home and take his options into consideration. He's got three days and he's still part of the organization as we speak. He's cleared waivers with 29 other clubs. Hopefully, he'll take a look at it and join the Norfolk club Friday in Columbus."

The shortage of infielders came into play last night in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Ryan Flaherty stayed in the game to face left-hander Ryan Buchter with two on, two outs and the Orioles down 7-6. It would have taken a little creativity to pinch-hit for Flaherty without Janish to replace him at third base.

Flaherty walked to load the bases, but Adam Jones grounded out.