Orioles hope to find a cure in home cooking

The Orioles are back home tonight after going 2-5 on their road trip to Boston and Toronto and falling two games below .500.

I'm hearing from fans who already want the Orioles to make wholesale changes to the roster, including one suggestion yesterday morning that Steve Pearce should be designated for assignment after 15 games. He's scuffling at the plate, but that's not going to happen.

You don't sign the guy to a $3.7 million deal after a breakthrough 2014 season and let him go only two weeks into the season.

The big issue with the Orioles' roster is its lack of flexibility. Not enough pitchers and position players with minor league options. A Rule 5 reliever, Jason Garcia, who must clear waivers and be offered back to the Red Sox.

Steve Johnson would come in handy. He threw two more scoreless innings in relief yesterday for Triple-A Norfolk and has allowed only one run in nine innings, with two walks and 14 strikeouts. His fastball is back up to 90-92 mph after surgery to shave a bone spur behind his right shoulder. But if the Orioles purchase his contract, they can't send him back down without passing him through waivers.

Speaking of Triple-A relievers, left-hander Pat McCoy has posted a 2.08 ERA in four games, allowing two runs and striking out eight batters in 8 2/3 innings. Left-handed hitters are 0-for-9 with five strikeouts.

Tides starter Mike Wright is 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA in three outings, with three runs, two walks, 12 strikeouts and a 0.96 WHIP in 15 2/3 innings. He's a possibility for the Orioles' bullpen if they need an arm and can make room for him. No option issues.

The rotation can't be discounted, either, with Orioles starters ranking last in the majors with a 5.82 ERA. They were 27th before last night, when Chris Tillman allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings.

The rotation churned out 3 2/3, 5 1/3, five, 4 1/3, 2 1/3, five and 4 1/3 innings on the road trip. It's got to get better if the Orioles are going to get better.

Miguel Gonzalez is making his fourth start of the season and second against the Red Sox. He allowed three runs and five hits in five innings, with four walks and five strikeouts, in an April 19 outing at Fenway Park.

Gonzalez has posted a 2.55 ERA in three outings, but he's averaging 5.1 walks per nine innings. Like the other starters, he's also working to lower his pitch counts after throwing 96 against the Red Sox and 98 in 5 2/3 innings against the Rays.

Gonzalez is 5-1 with a 2.81 ERA in nine games (seven starts) against the Red Sox. Daniel Nava is 5-for-16 (.313) with a double, and Hanley Ramirez is 2-for-3 (.667) with a home run. Xander Bogaerts is 1-for-10 (.100) with four strikeouts, and Dustin Pedroia is 3-for-14 (.214).

Rick Porcello is 1-2 with a 6.63 ERA and a 1.474 WHIP in three starts this season after signing a four-year, $82.5 million extension with the Red Sox. He allowed eight runs and 12 hits in five innings against the Orioles on April 19, walking three batters, striking out six and serving up two home runs.

Porcello is 3-6 with a 5.13 ERA in 10 career starts against the Orioles and 1-3 with a 4.24 ERA in four starts at Camden Yards. Delmon Young is 8-for-26 (.308) with two doubles and a home run, Chris Davis is 6-for-21 (.286) with a double and three home runs, Jimmy Paredes is 3-for-4 (.750), Alejandro De Aza is 7-for-34 (.206) with a double and Travis Snider is 2-for-13 (.154).

Ryan Flaherty is 3-for-7 (.429) with a home run, but he's headed to the disabled list with a groin injury.

Left-handers are batting .298 lifetime against Porcello.

One last note: The Mets and Brewers are contacting teams in search of catching help and have checked in with the Orioles regarding Steve Clevenger, who's batting .317 at Norfolk and leads the International League with six runners caught stealing.

Clevenger made the Orioles' opening day roster, but he was optioned after one game.