Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette spoke with manager Buck Showalter on the field during batting practice, grabbed a cup of water in the dugout and headed back to his office. He paused only to say hello to reporters, who tried unsuccessfully to pry trade information from him.
Duquette smiled, said he needed to get back to work and that he's always trying to improve the roster, and he might have something to say later in the week.
Ubaldo Jimenez remains with the Orioles after the Padres chose to trade outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. to the Blue Jays this morning for short-season Single-A pitcher Hansel Rodriguez. The Padres reportedly are covering all but $5 million of the approximately $22 million that remains on Upton's contract.
Meanwhile, the Padres weren't absorbing any of Upton's salary in a potential deal with the Orioles, according to a source. They were believed to be seeking cash.
According to multiple sources, trade talks also included Orioles minor league pitchers Garrett Cleavinger and Jhon Peluffo.
Cleavinger, a left-hander and third-round pick in 2015 out of Oregon, went 6-1 with a 2.16 ERA in 19 games last season at short-season Single-A Aberdeen. He was 5-0 with a 1.38 ERA in 17 games at low Single-A Delmarva this season before moving up to Single-A Frederick on June 23. He is 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA in nine games with the Keys.
Peluffo, a 19-year-old Colombia native who signed as a non-drafted free agent in March 2014, spent his first two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. He's 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA this year in five starts in the Gulf Coast League. He's struck out 27 batters in 23 innings.
Jimenez came off the paternity list this afternoon.
"Talked to him about their new addition," Showalter said. "Everybody seems to be OK. His wife and baby are home. Threw a little bit during the three days and had a good workday today."
Showalter also passed along positive news on top prospect Hunter Harvey's elbow surgery after checking with director of player development Brian Graham. Graham spoke with Harvey's father, former major league closer Bryan Harvey.
"Said it went well," Showalter said. "Got some of the details. About as well as could be expected. There were some good things they found in there that they think will help it manage well.
"Both (ligament) ends were strong. Just some of the area in between they replaced. They got the tendon from his hamstring. Sometimes they take it from below the knee. They can't take it from a cadaver because the body rejects it, so you've got to take it from someplace. They call it 'harvesting.'
"I think it bodes well. They were really pleased with what they found, which gave legitimacy to some of the things that he had been experiencing, but not to the degree where you really worry about it. He's in a good position now. He's on his way. Eliminate a lot of things that had been challenging him. He's only 21."
Hyun Soo Kim is back on the active roster and batting second again, where he's hitting .283/.357/.389 (32-for-113) with six doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs in 113 at-bats. Jonathan Schoop is batting .333/.341/.630 (27-for-81) with 12 doubles, four home runs and 12 RBIs in 81 at-bats in the second slot.
"The pitcher has to cooperate, but ... selectivity usually translates from country to country," Showalter said. "I hear people in the spring, some of the stuff, and I kept telling them, 'Nobody knows.' They're like, 'Oh, they're just going to attack him more already in and those walks will go away,' and they don't.
"Kim's got some pop, but his is more a good eye and he's able to foul off some tough pitches. Can't tell you how many times over the course of a season a guy will foul off a really tough pitch up here and I'll say to myself, 'That's strike three in the minor leagues.' You see it a lot with pitchers. They kind of give that deep sigh, like, 'Gosh, I made a great pitch and I've got to do it again.
"You like to have some guys who can slow the game down when you've got some guys in the lineup who might be charging, in that streak where they're kind of charging everything. You'd like to separate them in the order if you can, kind of like separating starting pitchers."
Kim is batting .329/.410/.454 in 46 games. He posted a career slash line of .318/.406/.488 in 10 seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization.
"He brings an element that every team needs, including us," Showalter said. "But I still don't think we know what he is for sure. Right now he's kind of following the path he had in Korea. Very similar."
In his first at-bat tonight, Kim looped a single into center field off Rockies starter Chad Bettis. The Hit Machine is back.
Update: Chris Tillman allowed four runs in the third inning, equaling his total over his last four starts, and threw 36 pitches. He allowed five hits, all of them with two strikes. All four singles came on 1-2 pitches and Carlos Gonzalez had a tie-breaking, two-run double on a 2-2 fastball.
Update II: Adam Jones belted a two-run homer in the fifth after J.J. Hardy's second hit of the night to cut the Rockies' lead to 6-2.
Tyler Wilson has replaced Tillman, who allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings, with no walks, four strikeouts and a wild pitch. He threw 89 pitches, 64 for strikes.
Update III: The Orioles lost to the Padres 6-3 to end their winning streak at five games.
Their last run scored in the eighth inning on Boone Logan's wild pitch. Adam Jones crossed the plate after walking.
Tyler Wilson retired all 12 batters he faced after replacing Tillman.
Chris Davis is in an 0-for-24 slump. He walked and struck out twice tonight.
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