Orioles monitoring pitching innings

While the Orioles set their September roster by deciding on the number of call-ups, they also will continue to chart the innings accumulated by various pitchers while determining which ones eventually will be shut down to eliminate any risk of injury or fatigue.

Manager Buck Showalter stated yesterday that no one in the current rotation besides Josh Rogers, who made his major league debut last night, is in danger of an early dismissal. He could choose to provide additional rest on occasion, but the foursome of Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, Dylan Bundy and David Hess won't be restricted.

Hess has worked a combined 123 2/3 innings this season, including 78 as a rookie with the Orioles. He totaled 154 1/3 last year at Double-A Bowie.

There isn't an exact, proven formula in existence for incremental innings increases anywhere in baseball and Showalter will challenge claims to the contrary.

"Anybody who says it's X-number of innings jump, walk away from it because they don't know," he said.

"A lot of things have to be said with your eyes and your ears, what they're telling you. You've been with them all year. So, I've seen guys 20 innings under their limit and you know they're done."

Showalter doesn't anticipate it happening with his starting crew besides Rogers.

"Hess is fine," he said. "There's a couple guys in the bullpen and there's a couple guys that we're thinking may come up in September that we've got to keep an eye on."

Pitching coach Roger McDowell has created a chart with the starters' and relievers' histories and the anticipated finish lines.

"But it's not just a number," Showalter said, "it's what our eyes are telling us and what Mike Griffin and Brian Graham and John Wasdin and Kennie Steenstra are telling us. Not just a pure number count."

Rogers has thrown 144 2/4 innings this season, broken down as 109 1/3 at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 30 1/3 at Triple-A Norfolk and five last night in his major league debut. He totaled 136 1/3 at two levels of the Yankees system in 2016, but only 91 2/3 last summer because he underwent surgery to remove a bone spur in the back of his elbow.

Rogers has "a finite number of innings available," according to Showalter.

The Orioles will consider selecting Branden Kline's contract from Double-A Bowie and give the Frederick native and former second-rounder a September look, as well as a reward for coming back from Tommy John surgery and a couple of setbacks.

Kline has posted combined 1.55 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 42 relief appearances between Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie, with 16 walks and 69 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings. The former starter logged 143 1/3 innings in 2014, but only 39 1/3 the following season and nothing else until 2018.

"I'll tell you who's having a great year down there is Branden Kline in Bowie," Showalter said. "I'm so happy for him. You know what a long road it's been for Branden. I mean, he's persevered and got through it and he's on the map. I wish he had more innings available.

"We'd really like to see him some up here. He's going to have to be protected (in the Rule 5 draft) anyway when the season's over, so there will be a point where you have to jump off there, too. We're going to be reaching that with a lot of guys."