More notes from Camden Yards

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he didn't hear directly from the Nationals about their pitching change for tonight, but learned of the switch around 10:30 a.m. A.J. Cole is replacing Stephen Strasburg, who went on the disabled list with a sore right elbow.

"I found out from another source that heard it through the grapevine," Showalter said. "I had to kind of figure it out myself. No big deal.

"I, like most people, go home and fall asleep for 20 minutes and watched the Nationals replayed game last night until about 2."

Showalter conceded that a change in starters can "create more challenges than people think."

The season is full of challenges, but at least there's no rain today. Instead, the Orioles must play a home-and-home interleague series in late August while trying to get back into first place in the American League East.

"It's part of our schedule and people who are smarter than me think that it's a good idea and fans seem to like it, so we do it," Showalter said. "Whether or not it's convenient ... We all know interleague play isn't always fair. It's who you draw, it's kind of pot luck.

"It's like most things in the major leagues, if somebody deems it important and enhances their love of the game and the team, you just do it. You go to Dunedin. What's the alternative, forfeit?

"Everybody has a personal feeling, but we all have a different stake in it, we all have a different angle. There are people trying to keep our game as popular as it is. I've got it. They're there. What do you do, not play them?"

Showalter wishes the interleague games could be played in succession without interruptions.

"The biggest challenge is the pitchers yo-yoing back and forth," he said. "I would like to see them line them all up and do it in a row. It's really not fair sometimes because you may fall on the pitchers who can do it (hit). Everybody should have to use all five, so competitively it's not balanced. We know that. Anybody who tries to sell me on that, they're not watching.

"National League clubs usually have an advantage with the DH over here, where the American League clubs lose a Pedro Alvarez or something over there. Obviously, that's not fair, but nobody asked me."

The Orioles thought about optioning pitcher Parker Bridwell after he worked two innings last night in his major league debut. However, their bullpen has recovered to the point where they've got enough fresh arms.

"One of the challenges we've got is Bridwell hasn't pitched back-to-back all year," Showalter said. "Why should he? He's been a starter and then he's had innings that were, 'OK, he's going to pitch two innings tonight, have two days off, he's going to pitch three innings and have three days off.' So there was some talk about sending him out last night, but because we've got some other guys back tonight in the 'pen, we think we can make it through another day.

"It's a great name. He's got to be a good pitcher, right? Parker Bridwell."

The Orioles may experiment with Bridwell and use him on consecutive days, though not at the risk of injury.

"We may get that," Showalter said. "I'd rather not. I'd rather keep him healthy. But you're trying not to put guys in that.

"Now, there's a part of me, too, that says we should do that. If he's got a chance to come up here, that should have been done there. But let's face it, we called up Parker because he was our best option that was available at that time to pitch. He had three days' off. Really, four.

"You're making that transition over, you're trying to keep him out of harm's way."

The Orioles will have more options for call-ups after tonight, so another roster move always is a possibility.

Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Christian Walker has been named the International League's Batter of the Week after hitting .333 (10-30) with four doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs. Walker, 25, hit safely in seven straight games to close the week, including a two-homer effort in a win at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Aug. 17.

Walker led the league in extra-base hits (seven) and total bases (23) and was tied for first in home runs. He was tied for second in RBIs.

Walker is batting .264/.325/.432 with 26 doubles, 15 home runs and 56 RBI this season. His 15 homers lead the Tides. He switched from first base to the outfield and has registered a .976 fielding percentage with three errors in 127 total chances and three assists.