Notes on Bradish, Watkins, Diplán and Odor

CHICAGO – Kyle Bradish began feeling some discomfort in his right shoulder a few days ago after his bullpen session, and the Orioles had to put him on the 15-day injured list this afternoon, with fingers crossed that it isn’t an extended absence.

Bradish has made 10 starts in his first major league season and posted a 7.38 ERA and 1.770 WHIP. He hasn’t finished five innings in his last five outings, unable to recapture the form that enabled him to strike out 11 batters with no walks in seven innings in St. Louis.

“We’re doing this out of precaution,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’re hoping it’s just going to be a couple weeks, but he does have some fatigue in there. We’ll take a couple weeks to get some treatment, be with Brian (Ebel) and the guys in the training room, and hopefully he just misses a couple weeks.”

The reasons behind Bradish’s shoulder inflammation aren’t clear. Hyde can’t blame the high-stress innings in the majors or any other excuse.

“Tough to speculate,” Hyde said. “I think there’s a lot of things going on around the league, but the intensity level up here is definitely different. It’s hard to put my finger on why his shoulder is a little bit sore. But hopefully it’s just a little bit of a hiccup and he’s back in a couple weeks.”

Spenser Watkins is the lone member of the taxi squad and is expected to start Saturday afternoon, requiring the Orioles to make a corresponding move on the active roster.

“There’s a good chance that you’ll probably see him tomorrow,” Hyde said.

The taxi squad can increase in Seattle. Marcos Diplán left it today to replace Bradish.

Diplán has appeared in five games with the Orioles and allowed one earned run (two total) with five walks and eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. He’s 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA and 1.306 WHIP in 15 games with Norfolk, allowing only two earned runs and striking out 21 batters in 20 2/3 innings, but also walking 13.

“I feel really good,” Diplán said via interpreter Ramón Alarcón. “Thank God and the team for the opportunity. It’s a sign that they trust me.

“This year, I’m really concentrating on improving the location of my pitches, so I’m trying to do the best I can with that.”

Diplán has been called up three times this season, but only twice since May 2, giving the Orioles three more opportunities under the new collective bargaining agreement before he’d go on waivers.

“I still feel good about the whole situation,” he said. “I just want to help the team whenever I’m needed. Either I’m up here or down there. Continue to improve, get better, so that they can call me up again.”

Second baseman Rougned Odor is out of the lineup again tonight due to a sore back.

“He does feel better today,” Hyde said, “so hopefully he’s available off the bench.”