Notes on Harvey setback, rotation, Cobb, Cashner and Ortiz

Hunter Harvey had another setback today in the fall instructional league. He felt some discomfort in his right elbow while throwing on flat ground and has been shut down again.

Harvey underwent an MRI on Aug. 22 that didn't reveal any structural damage in the elbow and he was allowed to resume throwing a week later. He initially had been cleared on Aug. 6 to get back on his program after experiencing some stiffness in his right forearm that removed him from the mound, but the Orioles shut him down again on Aug. 21.

Plans to send Harvey to the Arizona Fall League already were scrapped.

Harvey made only nine starts with Double-A Bowie and registered a 5.57 ERA and 1.392 WHIP in 32 1/3 innings.

The former first-round pick was placed on the seven-day disabled list after a June 1 start against Trenton, when he allowed six earned runs in two innings. He sustained a shoulder injury, termed "posterior shoulder instability," before the outing while trying to avoid a line drive headed toward him in the Baysox dugout.

The Orioles haven't settled on a starter for Wednesday night's series finale against the Blue Jays. It's predicated on what happens tonight with manager Buck Showalter's bullpen usage.

"I'm sure it will be a similar ilk to last night," said Showalter, who used Evan Phillips as the starter for two innings.

"Certainly an extended outing from Dylan (Bundy) would help."

Dillon Tate and left-hander John Means will stay in Sarasota and throw another bullpen session. They won't come up prior to Thursday's off-day.

"I'm hoping we don't have to bring them," Showalter said, "but we'll see."

Alex Cobb threw off a mound today to test his right middle finger.

"It sounds like that went pretty good," Showalter said, "but there's no concrete day that he would come back and pitch if he does."

Andrew Cashner's knee is gradually improving, but there's no word on whether he'll pitch again this month.

"I wouldn't commit to that yet completely, not yet on Andrew," Showalter said. "We've got seven guys kind of in that mode, not necessarily all here, who don't figure into it."

Cobb is less of a risk because he's dealing with a blister. The Orioles want to make certain that Cashner's knee doesn't lead to a different injury.

"You have to make a tough decision if it would affect his shoulder or his elbow or something, so there's some caution there," Showalter said. "They want to pitch. It's like I had a conversation with Alex today, making sure he understood what this is all about. There's not some set date he's trying to meet.

"Alex is a guy, like most pitchers, they want to have a good feel for being able to present themselves, too. Obviously, they're both going to be with us next year and that will take precedent, to make sure that it's in the best interest of their health."

The medical and athletic training staffs believe that Cashner's knee will improve with rest and manage itself.

"It's gotten better the last day or two," Showalter said. 'Whether that's enough to pitch between now and the end of the year is a decision we have to make."

Rookie Luis Ortiz won't pitch again this season, though his hamstring is feeling much better.

"You look at the history of the hamstring injuries in the past and the time, Brian (Ebel) was telling me he's probably down at least 14 days, which takes him out of pitching again this year," Showalter said.

Pedro Araujo and Gabriel Ynoa are throwing down in Sarasota and could play winter ball.

Orioles catchers are third in the American League in caught-stealing percentage.

For the Blue Jays
Billy McKinney RF
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. SS
Justin Smoak DH
Randal Grichuk CF
Rowdy Tellez 1B
Aledmys Díaz 3B
Dwight Smith Jr. LF
Devon Travis 2B
Reese McGuire C

Aaron Sanchez RHP