J.J. Hardy and Ryan Flaherty will start tonight at Double-A Bowie (with Kendall quotes)

BOWIE, Md. - It can be pretty exciting for a minor league team and its fans when a major league player joins the team on a rehab assignment. Tonight, the Double-A Bowie Baysox will have two big leaguers joining them.

Orioles J.J. Hardy and Ryan Flaherty are both in the lineup for the Baysox, who host Akron at Prince George's Stadium at 6:35 p.m. Flaherty is batting second and playing second base, while Hardy is batting third at shortstop.

This is the first time Bowie has had two big leaguers on the same field since last June 11, when Miguel Gonzalez and Nolan Reimold played for the Baysox.

Hardy hasn't played in a game since he suffered a strained left shoulder in a spring training game March 27. He has not played in a minor league game since he was in three games for Triple-A Norfolk from May 6-8, 2011. He's never played for Bowie.

Flaherty has been out since April 22 with a right groin strain. In nine games for the Orioles this year, he is batting .300 with two homers and four RBIs. He is eligible to return from the disabled list on Friday.

Flaherty, who has also never played for Bowie, was last in the minors two different times during the 2013 season. From May 21-28, he played eight games for Norfolk. From Aug. 28-Sept. 1, he played two games each for Single-A Delmarva and Single-A Frederick.

Hardy and Flaherty join the Baysox at a time when the team is playing well. Chris O'Brien's pinch-hit walk-off grand slam with two outs in the last of the ninth gave Bowie a stunning 11-9 comeback win over Harrisburg yesterday.

The Baysox are 13-10 and in second place in their division, three games out of first. They are 5-1 in their last six games and 9-4 over the last 13.

Right-hander Branden Kline (2-1, 4.74 ERA), the Orioles' No. 26 prospect, is the starting pitcher tonight for Bowie. He has allowed two earned runs or less in three of his four 2015 starts.

Check back here later tonight for updates on Hardy and Flaherty at Bowie.

Tonight's Bowie lineup:

LF Mike Yastrzemski
2B Ryan Flaherty
SS J.J. Hardy
RF Sean Halton
CF Garabez Rosa
1B Brandon Snyder
3B Jason Esposito
C Chris O'Brien
DH David Freitas

Bowie manager Gary Kendall said it is likely that both big leaguers will get three to four at-bats tonight.

"There are really no restrictions on them. If they are healthy, they could play nine (innings)," he said.

Hardy and Flaherty are expected to play three days for Bowie. They may also play in the Thursday game that is scheduled to start at 11:05 a.m. That has not been determined yet.

With a chance of rain in the forecast here tomorrow there is a backup plan when Hardy and Flaherty could play for Triple-A Norfolk tomorrow at Syracuse. But the rain chance is not that great and that seems very unlikely. They should be in Bowie again tomorrow.

Kendall said having big league players in the Double-A clubhouse can be a real positive for his players.

"It has always been really good here," he said. "It seems like everyone that walks in the door from Baltimore has always been positive, they've played with energy and like being here. They fit in and help our kids. They teach and when they are here they help out. If they see something (wrong), they'll bring it to our attention. That is a testament to what is going on with the Orioles."