Notes on Harvey, Heim, Wright, Givens and more

KANSAS CITY - Hunter Harvey will throw another bullpen session on Thursday while recovering from a strained right flexor mass, and the Orioles remain encouraged by his progression.

How much? The club is talking about sending Harvey to the fall instructional league in Sarasota and later assigning him to the Arizona Fall League.

Harvey, the 22nd-overall pick in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Bandys (N.C.) High School, may have reached the majors in September if not for the injury. He hasn't pitched since July 2014 at Single-A Delmarva due to a strained flexor mass. He was sidelined this spring with a fractured shin after being hit by a comebacker.

"Everything's going good," said manager Buck Showalter. "I don't know if there are plans for him to pitch once or twice this year or not, but if he can get back to the instructional league and go to the fall league, he'll be in a good spot for next year."

Catcher Jonah Heim, a fourth-round pick in 2013 who hasn't played since May 26 at Delmara due to a left foot injury, will report to the Gulf Coast League on Friday.

"That's cool," Showalter said. "He's come a long way. He's a good kid."

Mike Wright, on the disabled list with a strained left calf muscle, is scheduled to work four innings with a pitch limit around 60 on Thursday at Triple-A Norfolk. He figures to be included on the Orioles' expanded roster.

"His next outing could be wherever it's needed," Showalter said. "His next outing would be at five, and if you ever thought about here, you'll be covering with September call-ups. You normally wouldn't bring up a guy if he wasn't capable of going more than five innings, but with some extra pitchers ...

"We should have Chaz (Roe) on the second and we'll probably add one more at least."

Outfielder David Lough had two more hits today with Norfolk. Nolan Reimold is expected to join Lough if he clears waivers, though he has the right to refuse an outright assignment.

Could Lough and Reimold be counted among the September additions?

"We have plenty of room on the (40-man) roster," Showalter said. "The roster isn't going to be an issue. I wouldn't preclude it. I really think both of those guys are and will benefit from the consistent at-bats if Nolan clears and agrees to go back there."

Triple-A Norfolk hitting coach Sean Berry will be a coach in the AFL.

Showalter and pitching coach Dave Wallace have been discussing reliever Mychal Givens' innings total over the past few days. Givens has thrown a combined 71 2/3 innings this season, including 14 1/3 with the Orioles. He totaled 70 1/3 last year between Single-A Frederick, Double-A Bowie and the AFL.

Givens is a unique case, a position player turned into a pitcher who's still building up innings on his right arm.

"He's in a good spot, though," Showalter said. "It's kind of some uncharted territory with position players that become pitchers who don't have a whole lot of innings on their arm. Can't sit here and say any of us are an expert at it.

"I think he's around 70 innings. He had a little over 70 last year. We're not anywhere near not pitching him or anything, but it's something we want to monitor as the rest of the season goes on."

Givens has become an important piece in the bullpen, especially with Tommy Hunter traded to the Cubs. He's recorded at least one strikeout in his first 10 appearances, tied with Steve Johnson for the third-longest streak in club history. Anthony Telford and Moe Drabowsky had 11 consecutive appearances.

"He's been pretty good, huh?" Showalter said.

"They talk about this infamous 30-inning increment jump. It's an inexact science. Nobody has any proof of that that really backs it up other than what your eyes and your history and your background tell you through the years. And you usually don't see it until the next spring.

"Mike's going to make some plays as a pitcher defensively that you're going to go, 'Wow, did he play another position?' These guys change positions and the game situations don't catch them by surprise. He's been pretty good."

It didn't happen by accident. Givens, who's walked two batters and struck out 18 in 14 1/3 innings, has received lots of instruction and really benefitted from his work with Wallace and bullpen coach Dom Chiti.

"When Wally and Dom got his body angle at the same where his arm angle was, he really took off," Showalter said. "That's where his command got better, repeating his delivery got better. Those guys that throw down there, if you watch Darren (O'Day), you've got to get your body on the same plane as your arm. You can't be upright. One, the hitters see it, and it puts some strain on you and you can't repeat your delivery.

"You see the good guys, they tilt. Once they got his tilt to match up with his arm angle, it was pretty to watch."