O'Day activated and Hart optioned (plus other notes)

The Orioles have activated reliever Darren O'Day from the 15-day disabled list and optioned left-hander Donnie Hart to Double-A Bowie.

Hart, 25, made his major league debut on July 17 at Tropicana Field. He tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings over three appearances with the Orioles this season.

O'Day hasn't pitched since June 1 due to a strained right hamstring. He's 2-1 with a 3.15 ERA, two saves and 25 strikeouts in 22 games spanning 20 innings.

The move again leaves closer Zach Britton as the only left-hander in the bullpen.

DJ Stewart, the Orioles' first-round pick in 2015, left last night's game at Single-A Frederick with a strained right pectoral muscle. He's day-to-day.

Stewart is batting .261/.378/.413 with six doubles, a triple, two home runs and 18 RBIs in 26 games since moving up to Frederick. He hit .230/.366/.352 with 12 doubles, a triple, four home runs and 25 RBIs in 62 games at low Single-A Delmarva.

Manager Buck Showalter said he carefully explained to Hyun Soo Kim and interpreter Danny Lee why the Orioles were sending the outfielder to Bowie for two rehab games. There's no disabled list in Korea, so the entire process is new to Kim.

"When I was talking to him about it, I could see him ... I wanted to make sure he understood that he's coming back," Showalter said. "I explained the whole DL, how it works, and someone's going to go with you. You're going to DH (today) and we'd like you to play the outfield the next day and make sure everything's OK. Get you a couple days of at-bats and hopefully activate you on Tuesday. I was very cautious.

"I always try to put myself in their shoes. I think we worked into some certain trust here. Danny's a pretty good interpreter about it. He understands, I think. Now, if he doesn't show up."

Playing in a minor league facility also will be a new experience for Kim.

"I try to keep that all in mind and not assume something with him," Showalter said. "I was talking to him about the field and the lights. He wants to know all this stuff. This guy's a real watcher. You watch him do imitations. We finally got him to where he'll do them now. It is unbelievable. He will be in the talent show next year. And I know he's got me.

"We got him to do three pitchers the other day. Some from this team, some from other teams, and it is right on the button. Jimmy Fallon should have him on. It makes you a little paranoid around him now. He's watching."

Chris Davis beating out a double play ball in the first inning last night and scoring on Mark Trumbo's home run remains a topic of conversation this morning.

"It's huge," Showalter said. "I make note of it in my mind. So do his teammates. So do the opposition around the league. There's such a respect. I can tell you how frustrated Chris is. He wants to get a hit every time up. But his effort never goes into a slump. Our guys see it. You see a Dariel Alvarez, you see a Julio Borbon, guys come up and that see that. Those are things I don't have to ...

"It's hard to do, it's hard to do. We've got some guys a lot younger than Chris who have a hard time doing it. Not only at this level."

Message sent.

Showalter still can't believe that Ken Griffey, Jr. fell three votes shy of being the first unanimous selection to the Hall of Fame, and he wonders why all ballots aren't made public. Griffey and Mike Piazza are being inducted today.

Showalter still turns away when replays are shown of Griffey scoring from first base on Edgar Martinez's two-run double in the bottom of the 11th inning, allowing the Mariners to win the 1995 American League Division Series. They rallied from an 0-2 deficit in games to eliminate the Yankees and it cost Showalter his job - along with his unwillingness to replace part of his coaching staff.

"I see highlights of him early on and I go, 'I was there at that game,'" said Showalter, who placed his Orioles cap backward on the table during his session with the media. "The one where he climbed up the wall and tore a hole. That was against us. And I still turn my head when he scores from first and they were trying to stop him coming around third with nobody out.

"It's funny, I made some off-the record comment that I knew he was going to be a guy that would carry the mantle of baseball and people were really going to be watching him and it was kind of like I hope he realizes (that).

"You couldn't ask for a better ambassador of the game. Good father, good husband, good kids.

"Just the way he evolved. He could dial up anything the game needed and have so much fun doing it. Some of these guys (who say), 'We're going to have fun again.' He was the original guy there."