J.J. Hardy on foot injury: "It's definitely frustrating"

Orioles manager Buck Showalter had Manny Machado at third base in his original lineup. They met in his office with the door closed before batting practice, and Machado emerged later as the shortstop.

Ryan Flaherty is starting at third base. Machado talked Showalter into making the switch.

"I have that right," Showalter said.

The Orioles aren't setting a timetable for J.J. Hardy's return from a hairline fracture in his left foot. Showalter said it could be sooner than six to eight weeks.

"I don't want to put a timetable on it just because I don't want to be disappointed if I don't reach it or if I set one and try to rush back," said Hardy, who was placed on the disabled list today.

"I've never broken a bone in my body until this, so I don't know how long it's going to take. I've read six to eight weeks and a lot of you guys have written that. I have no idea honestly.

"I heard hairline fracture. Honesty, I haven't even been in the training room yet. I talked to Dr. (Michael) Jacobs for a couple of minutes yesterday when he saw the results of the CT scan and the MRI. He just told me there was a little crack and I'll be in the boot for two or three weeks. That's all I know."

Hardy suffered the injury after fouling a ball off his foot during Sunday's game against the White Sox. He drew a walk and returned to his position in the top of the fifth inning before exiting.

"I had an idea after the game or when I came out of the game that something wasn't right," Hardy said. "Then, obviously with the X-ray, there was something they wanted to see closer. They kind of gave me a little heads-up that something could be wrong.

"After I fouled the ball off my foot, I didn't think too much of it. I mean, it hurt, but it wasn't terrible. I jogged to first base and kind of felt the same thing, nothing terrible. Then when I got out in the field and the more I moved around, the worse it was getting instead of loosening up or going away. So I knew it was something."

The disappointment is magnified because Hardy's left shoulder is fine. His back hasn't flared up. Fracturing a bone in his foot is a freak accident, one that's put him back on the disabled list.

"It's definitely frustrating," he said. "I've been feeling as good as I can remember. I mean, I don't know the last time that I've felt this good. It's definitely frustrating. I'm just going to try to get back as soon as possible."