Orioles DFA Aquino, Showalter talks about Hardy (O's win 7-6)

The Orioles selected outfielder Austin Hays' contract from Double-A Bowie today and designated left-hander Jayson Aquino for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

Hays will wear No. 18.

Aquino went 1-2 with a 7.43 ERA in four games (two starts) with the Orioles. He was 3-10 with a 4.24 ERA in 21 starts with Triple-A Norfolk.

In case you missed it, here's what I wrote earlier today about Hays' promotion.

Meanwhile, the Orioles' grounds crew unrolled the tarp around 5 p.m. today in anticipation of another storm at Camden Yards.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy worked out on the field again this afternoon, returning to his locker soaked in sweat and in need of a towel.

A roster spot continues to elude him.

The Orioles are waiting to activate Hardy from the 60-day disabled list. He said earlier today that his elbow has improved after he received a cortisone injection on Friday. He's been building up the strength in his shoulder.

"Getting a little better," said manager Buck Showalter, providing the latest Hardy update. "It looks like we're going to wait for the elbow to get a little better with swinging a bat for the time being.

"Anxious to get him back because, one, just getting Hardy back is big for our club. Just to have that option on the bench, because we really don't have a whole lot right now, versatile speaking."

The Orioles have another game against the Yankees on Wednesday and are off Thursday before starting a weekend series in Cleveland.

"It could be as late as Friday," Showalter said.

Hardy is batting .211/.248/.308 with 11 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 21 RBIs in 64 games. He hasn't played since a pitch from the Cardinals' Lance Lynn slammed into his right wrist on June 18 and caused a nondisplaced fracture. Hardy went 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs the previous day.

The Orioles aren't expected to pick up Hardy's $14 million option for 2018, making him a free agent. He didn't accumulate enough plate appearances the past two seasons for the option to vest.

Hardy came to the Orioles in a Dec. 2010 trade with the Twins, four months after Showalter took over as manager. He's won three Gold Gloves and one Silver Slugger Award and made the 2013 All-Star team in the American League.

"To see him become a husband, a father, just all the things," Showalter said. "I think we've had a stage here for the rest of baseball to see how good he was and is. He's not through. J.J.'s going to play against next year. A lot of decisions down the road about all that. We have an option, I believe. So, see how it all shakes out, but he's just been so dependable, trustworthy, smart, great resource for me to bounce things off. Has a great feel for not sharing anything. I don't want anything private about the players or whatever, so they can have confidence in talking to him about things that might be bothering him.

"J.J.'s just a great resource for Jonathan (Schoop) and Manny (Machado). It's like, I don't want to say Uncle J.J., but it's like a guy they trust. And J.J. has no agenda when he talks to them. It's nothing personal. And also give you some tough love. If you don't want to know truth, don't talk to him. And he's been a really good player, OK? And I like the fact that baseball got to see how good he is.

"He does things physically and mentally that other people can't do. And I can tell you, he has a way of making really hard plays look routine. He doesn't have to show ... His substance is his style. I'll see somebody catch a ball and spin and flip and all this other stuff. And J.J. will take it, show it to them. And he'll also tell them, 'What did you gain by making the play that way? You made it harder for your teammate.' The simplicity and substance of him actually to me was very stylish. There's so much substance that became his own style.

"I like talking about him."

Single-A Frederick third baseman Jomar Reyes has been chosen as the Carolina League's Player of the Week.

Reyes, 20, batted .357/.379/.679 (10-for-28) with one double, one triple, two home runs, seven RBIs and four runs scored in seven games.

In 50 games with the Keys this year, Reyes crafted a .302/.333/.434 slash line with 10 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 21 RBIs and 28 runs scored. He was limited to 50 games due to a broken finger that sidelined him from April 29-Aug. 4.

On this date in 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. played in his 2,130th consecutive game to tie Lou Gehrig's record.

Update: Trey Mancini's infield hit with two outs in the first inning scored Jonathan Schoop and gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead against CC Sabathia, who threw 26 pitches.

Update II: The Yankees scored six runs in the third inning, three of them earned due to a dropped fly ball by Adam Jones, and took a 6-1 lead. They sent 10 batters to the plate.

Jeremy Hellickson was charged with five runs (three earned) and two hits in 2 1/3 innings. He walked four batters and hit one.

Manny Machado led off the bottom of the third with his 31st home run to reduce the lead to 6-2.

Update III: Schoop homered into the Yankees' bullpen with two outs in the fifth to reduce the lead to 6-3. He also tied Machado again for the team lead.

Update IV: Mark Trumbo hit a two-run homer in the sixth to shave the lead to 6-5. Sabathia is out of the game.

Trumbo has 200 career home runs.

Update V: Tim Beckham walked with two outs in the ninth and Machado hit a two-run homer off Dellin Betances to give the Orioles a 7-6 win. Machado reclaims the team lead with 32.

Machado has three walk-off home runs this season.