Matt Wieters on his return to the lineup (and other notes)

Steve Pearce took live batting practice today in Sarasota and the Orioles will check on Wednesday to make sure the tightness in his oblique doesn't resurface. They want to reach the point where he's ready to go on an injury rehab assignment.

Triple-A Norfolk pitcher Tyler Wilson, also on the disabled list with a strained oblique, threw off flat ground today from 75 feet. He's been feeling a little better each day.

Manager Buck Showalter said the Orioles will keep all three catchers - Matt Wieters, Caleb Joseph and Steve Clevenger - but he doesn't anticipate putting them in the lineup at the same time. All three can play first base, which makes such an arrangement possible, but Showalter didn't sound enthusiastic about the idea.

Wieters ran the bases and felt good today, which cleared him to return to the lineup and catch tonight in the series opener against the Mets.

"It went well running. No tightness or anything, which was good," said Wieters, who hasn't played since straining his right hamstring last Tuesday in Seattle. "I'm excited to feel that way and be ready to go today.

"Buck wanted me to let him know how it felt from yesterday and I woke up this morning and it felt good, so I was excited with how it went yesterday, knowing I would have a pretty good chance of playing today."

Running was the final test for Wieters.

"It was really the only thing holding me back in the first place," Wieters said, "being able to get back to at least a fast jog."

Wieters sustained the injury while fielding a swinging bunt in the third inning of last Tuesday's game. He would have been a candidate for the disabled list if unable to play tonight.

"I was hoping it was going to be shorter than it was, but I'm glad we took a few extra days and made sure it was right," he said.

Wieters said catching probably is better for the hamstring than serving as the designated hitter. He can more easily keep the leg loose than if he takes an at-bat and sits for a couple of innings.

The injury was more tolerable for Wieters because the Orioles swept the Athletics in a four-game series while getting major contributions from Joseph and Clevenger.

"It always makes it a lot easier when we're winning and that's what helped me last year was being able to sit on the bench and watch the guys play so well," Wieters said. "Same thing with the last few days. To see how well they played and get wins, it makes you feel better not being able to be out there and help."

Wieters worked hard to return from ligament-reconstructive surgery in his elbow, which made a strained hamstring seem minor by comparison. More of an inconvenience than a crisis.

"For the first five years of my career I was pretty much playing 130-140 games behind the plate, so you want to get right back to that right away," Wieters said. "This year it's going to be take it how it comes and just be grateful to be back out there and playing."

For the Mets
Curtis Granderson RF
Daniel Murphy 3B
Yoenis Cespedes CF
Lucas Duda 1B
Travis d'Arnaud C
Kelly Johnson 2B
Michael Cuddyer DH
Michael Conforto LF
Wilmer Flores SS

Jacob deGrom RHP