The Orioles will make a roster move today, recalling pitcher Bud Norris from Double-A Bowie and optioning a reliever or one of their catchers.
They won't carry three of them all season.
Steve Clevenger didn't get a start in Oakland and is vulnerable, but we'll see. He did catch the bottom of the eighth yesterday as manager Buck Showalter cleared his bench.
Showalter may want to carry the extra bullpen arm after yesterday's debacle in Oakland. Preston Guilmet worked the eighth, but he threw only 10 pitches.
A second roster move is coming Tuesday when the Orioles recall pitcher Miguel Gonzalez from Triple-Norfolk.
Also, Ubaldo Jimenez was scheduled to make a rehab start on Wednesday, but he's still a bit tentative throwing in the bullpen. Showalter told MASN's Gary Thorne that Jimenez isn't progressing as quickly as the club hoped, so forget about Wednesday.
Norris should be salivating today, and not because the postgame spread is an upgrade from the Eastern League. He's 3-0 with a 0.32 ERA in four lifetime starts against the Angels, with one earned run allowed in 28 innings. He's 2-0 in Anaheim, with 13 scoreless innings.
The Angels are batting .159/.260/.205 against Norris. Is that good?
Mike Trout is 5-for-12 (.417) with three doubles against Norris, David Freese is 7-for-18 (.389) with two doubles, and Josh Hamilton is 4-for-12 (.333) with a double and a home run.
Albert Pujols is 7-for-36 (.194) with three doubles. Howie Kendrick is 1-for-11 (.091).
Angels starter Matt Shoemaker is 7-2 with a 4.38 ERA in 15 games (nine starts) this season. He's never faced the Orioles. They don't have an at-bat against him.
What could go wrong?
Shoemaker is 4-1 with a 2.84 ERA in nine home games and 3-1 with a 6.66 ERA - how evil - in six road games. He's 6-1 with a 4.15 ERA in his nine starts.
Left-handers are hitting .294 against Shoemaker, compared to the .264 average by right-handers. Opponents are 2-for-22 with 10 strikeouts with runners in scoring position and two outs.
The Orioles won the series 5-2 last year, taking three of four in Anaheim in May. Manny Machado went 9-for-30 (.300) with two homers and five RBIs in seven games.
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