Losing Jones last night and trying to win a game today

A blowout loss to the Yankees won't leave the same mark as losing center fielder Adam Jones to a hamstring injury.

That's adding injury to insult and the Orioles simply cannot afford it.

It must be a New York thing. If you recall, Jones left a July game in the Bronx with back spasms and insisted that he'd play the following day, but he wasn't in the lineup.

Jones brought the leg cramps from D.C., started last night and was done after one inning. The Orioles announced that he had a strained hamstring.

Adam-Jones-bubble-profile.jpgManager Buck Showalter has expressed his concerns over the lack of center field depth, using it as a reason why he pinch-hit for Jones Thursday night against the Nationals. Can't afford to risk a more serious injury at a position where the Orioles are thin.

Nolan Reimold replaced Jones last night, but he's better suited for the outfield corners. Joey Rickard remains on the disabled list and will have his right thumb re-examined on Sept. 2. A mid-September return would be a win.

The 40-man roster includes Triple-A Norfolk outfielders Dariel Alvarez and Christian Walker. They aren't going to replace Jones if he goes on the disabled list or is day-to-day for more than a few days.

Showalter would hate to lose Jones, but he'd be fine with Double-A Bowie's Julio Borbon in center field. Borbon isn't on the 40-man roster, but the Orioles could make room.

Chris Dickerson also is at Bowie. He isn't on the 40-man, either, and probably would be the second choice behind Borbon.

Dickerson went 2-for-3 last night and is batting .316, but he's appeared in only five games after recovering from 2015 shoulder surgery.

No. 1 starter Chris Tillman and top setup man Darren O'Day are on the disabled list. Losing Jones for any period of time could be devastating.

Showalter told reporters last night that he didn't think Jones would need to go on the DL. I wasn't there to check whether his fingers were crossed.

Yovani Gallardo retired only four batters last night in the shortest start of his career and raised his ERA to 5.69 after allowing seven earned runs (eight total).

The rotation was outstanding for four games against the Nationals. Those were good times.

Dylan Bundy is making his first career start against the Yankees and third appearance. He's allowed three runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings in relief this season.

The current Yankees are 6-for-12 against Bundy. Brett Gardner is 2-for-2.

The Red Sox roughed up Bundy for five runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings on Aug. 17. In the rest of his starts this month, he's allowed five runs and 11 hits in 24 1/3 innings. He's walked eight and struck out 23.

Yankees rookie Chad Green is 2-3 with a 3.66 ERA in 10 games (six starts) this season. The Orioles saw him on July 21, when he shut them out on two hits over 2 1/3 innings.

In Green's last two starts, he allowed one run and seven hits in 12 innings. Here's the eye-popper: He's walked one batter and struck out 16.

Green has posted a 1.76 ERA in five home games and a 4.88 ERA in five road games.

The current Orioles are 1-for-7 against him. Manny Machado, who homered twice last night, has the only hit.

Mike Wright has pitched on back-to-back nights, going three innings in a 14-4 loss to the Yankees. He survived yesterday's bullpen shuffling but is vulnerable as the Orioles continue their series this afternoon.




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