Orioles saddled with fourth postponement (plus notes)

MINNEAPOLIS - We were in a rain delay without the rain until the Twins made the announcement a few minutes ago that tonight's game with the Orioles has been postponed due to pending storms.

The game will be made up on July 28 before the Orioles head to Toronto for a three-game series. Another off day is lost.

This is the Orioles' fourth postponement. They also have a one-game "series" in Texas on June 20.

No makeup date has been announced for the April 9 game against the Rays at Camden Yards that also was washed away, but the teams could play a doubleheader on the weekend of June 24-26.

The Orioles no longer are in a bind regarding Wednesday's pitcher. Manager Buck Showalter has opted to start Kevin Gausman on Tuesday night and push back Tyler Wilson, tonight's scheduled starter, to Wednesday afternoon.

The forecast isn't ideal for Tuesday, but we'll tackle one weather issue at a time.

Pedro Alvarez was supposed to be the designated hitter again tonight after launching a home run yesterday that was measured at 434 feet, the ball landing on Eutaw St. and hitting the warehouse on one bounce.

Alvarez has two hits in 14 at-bats this month, but he's contributed the home run, a two-run double and a walk-off sacrifice fly.

"I said it before, this is a guy coming to a new league, new pitchers, new ballpark, new consistent role. There are a lot of new things going on with him," Showalter said.

"I know talking to J.R. (John Russell) and Scott Coolbaugh, we had to be patient because his track record's pretty good and to trust him and have some empathy for some of the new things that have been thrown at him. But sometimes when certain guys cool off, other guys get going. He's had some pretty consistent good at-bats for a while now."

Alvarez has worked hard since arriving at spring training and being the first player on the field to hit in the cage and perform infield drills with third base coach Bobby Dickerson. He's also sought out players to find a comfort zone in the American League and in the designated hitter role.

"Thoughtful is a good way to put it, and obviously he's very bright and very smart. But I know a lot of guys who are very smart but aren't very smart baseball players. He is," Showalter said.

"He and (Mark) Trumbo, that's where they've been impressive is the things they've brought cerebrally to the game. They think it through but don't get paralyzed by it. He sits around sometimes and doesn't hit until the second or third inning. I watch him between at-bats and he's got a pretty good routine going now."

I wrote earlier today that Yovani Gallardo will play catch Saturday, the first time he's picked up a ball since going on the disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis.

"Once we get down that road, it will start moving," Showalter said. "That means he's gotten through the weights and gotten to the right weights he's doing it with that tells you he's got the strength needed to pitch. And then you start down that road."

The strength definitely is returning to Gallardo's shoulder since the cortisone injection and cuff exercises.

"I think stronger than it was," Showalter said. "When it started on, you could tell there was some weakness there in that one spot because of the amount of weight he can do the exercises with has increased. He's gone from two to five pounds. We'll see. Still going to have to get hitters out, but that's one less thing hopefully that he'll have to worry about."

The Orioles haven't decided when Gallardo will go on an injury rehab assignment.

"Let's get through Saturday," Showalter said. "That's all Richie (Bancells). He'll set that up. I think I've got an idea if he doesn't have any setbacks, but I'm going to let Richie. I think once we get through Saturday, it will probably be a Saturday-Monday thing. Probably a few of those and then we'll start mapping that out. There are some stages in the process he has to go through."