Oberholtzer starting against Orioles

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

July 31, 2013, 10:32am

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The Orioles will face a left-hander tonight. It just won't be Erik Bedard. The Astros have scratched Bedard and will give the ball to rookie Brett Oberholtzer, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. McTaggart adds that Bedard hasn't been traded, though he's on the block. And I should emphasis that I mean the trading block. We are, after all, in Baltimore. Oberholtzer, 24, has allowed six runs and 11 hits in 7 1/3 innings over three relief appearances for a 7.36 ERA. He's walked none, struck out four and allowed two home runs. This will be his first major league start. Left-handers are batting .333 against Oberholtzer. So are right-handers. If nothing else, he's been fairly consistent. The Astros scratched Bud Norris yesterday, and he's apparently not an option to start tonight, since the possibility remains that he could be traded before 4 p.m. The Orioles remain in the hunt. Talks have intensified. The Pirates and Diamondbacks reportedly are the other teams going hard after Norris. Down on the farm, left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings today for Triple-A Norfolk, allowing five hits, walking one and striking out 10. He threw 100 pitches, 67 for strikes.