Roster moves and wrapping up the final day of camp

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles closed the Grapefruit League portion of their exhibition schedule with a 7-3 loss to the Tigers at Ed Smith Stadium, leaving them with a 16-14-2 record that holds little significance.

What counts are the current and pending roster moves.

Wade Miley goes on the disabled list, but he still can make the April 9 start on the day that he's eligible to return. Kevin Gausman will get two starts in that period because of the off-days.

The Orioles could send Miley to Double-A Bowie for an outing to build up his innings before coming off the disabled list.

The club announced that it optioned pitchers Alec Asher and Logan Verrett to Triple-A Norfolk and reassigned infielders Robert Andino, Johnny Giavotella and Paul Janish, and outfielders Pedro Álvarez and Chris Dickerson - who homered today in the ninth inning - to minor league camp.

There are 31 players remaining in major league camp. Putting Miley, pitcher Chris Tillman and Rule 5 outfielder Anthony Santander on the disabled list will bring down the total to 28. Rule 5 outfielder Aneury Tavárez is on waivers and his removal takes it down to 27.

Trey Mancini and Joey Rickard were told today that they're heading north, and Craig Gentry will do the same after the Orioles create a spot on the 40-man roster by removing Tavárez.

"I think we'll have an idea on that by Saturday morning," said manager Buck Showalter.

Mancini hit three home runs in his five major league games last season, and he's headed north this spring after batting .333/.379/.600 with seven doubles, three home runs and 14 RBIs.

"It's really, really exciting," he said. "The last few days have been a little ... it's tough not knowing exactly where you're going and a lot's at stake. It was really relieving to hear.

"It's really rewarding. I knew coming in it that it was going to be a tough, tough, uphill battle to get a roster spot on the team. I knew if I took it day by day and mentally stayed strong when I didn't have a good game, not freak out or anything, that it would all be OK and I could come back the next day and do well. So I feel like I did a really good job throughout the month, bouncing back after tough games and that's something I really want to take into the season, too."

Mancini started in right field today, but kept swapping positions with first baseman Mark Trumbo until the fifth inning. The outfield experiment has met with the club's approval.

"I feel really comfortable out there, actually," Mancini said. "Every time you play out there, you get more and more comfortable. I want the ball to come out there and I want to make plays. I'm ready to attack the ball out there. I've been feeling really good out there.

"It was pretty funny rotating between first and right out there. I've never done that before. That was interesting, but it was fun. It was cool just bouncing around today."

Mancini, 25, never imagined that he'd make the club primarily as an outfielder. He's blocked by Chris Davis at first base and by Trumbo at designated hitter.

"I didn't really start playing in games until probably the second week of March maybe," Mancini said. "Especially once games started, if you told me that, I probably wouldn't have believed that. I would have had to start immediately, but I feel like I did a good job of learning it.

"You never know what the game of baseball brings and can take you every day. Playing a capable right field at least and them having the confidence in me to do it at the major league level is really, really big."

The process will continue under much brighter lights - and a third deck that can befuddle the newcomers.

"I'm still working at it at first base, too which I've been playing my whole life. You never stop working and trying to get better. Everybody can. Nobody's perfect, and it's something that I will surely be continuing to do in Baltimore," Mancini said.

"I've heard from multiple people it's different at the major league parks, having a third deck with the depth perception, so that's going to be an adjustment. Our first workout at the field, I'll definitely be working a lot out there for that. I'm prepared for that and I know that's going to be another adjustment. It's not like, 'Oh, I'm out there, I'm a good right fielder.' It's something that you've got to keep working at."

Showalter is convinced that Mancini can evolve into a full-time left or right fielder.

"I think there's that possibility," he said. "I wasn't sure about it coming into spring, hadn't really seen that much of it, but after the things he's gone through out of people's eyesight ... He's been working with Kirb (Wayne Kirby) and Brady (Anderson) and Carlos Tosca about every other day since he got here, with the exception of the first week. So it's something he's been working on for a while."

Rickard is preparing for his second opening day after the Orioles kept him last spring as a Rule 5 pick.

"There were definitely a lot of things you learn in this camp and proved that I'm ready and back healthy and ready to go, and I think I did enough to make the team," he said.

"You can't really expect too much in this game, especially on a team like that. It's very competitive. We have very high expectations of ourselves. I was never complacent or content anywhere. I was never sure, so I just went out there and played hard every day.

"It's still a blessing and I'm very proud and very thankful for the opportunity."

As for today's game, Dylan Bundy served up three home runs in six innings, but Showalter estimated that only one would have left a major league ballpark.

"The rest of them are fly ball outs," Showalter said. "I thought he pitched well. Loved where he got pitch count-wise. Actually, kind of got a little ticked off, I think, and ramped it up a little bit. He was casting a little bit on his curveball, really started finishing some. He got a chance to throw the cutter some later on in the outing. That's about as good a return for ...

"Look at the things that were really important in his outing today and he got them done. It was good. I would have signed up for that before the day started. Got through six innings. It was actually a little under his pitch count."

Bundy was satisfied with clearing six innings on 82 pitches.

"The results weren't there obviously and giving up the home run ball here in Florida, but I got through six innings and I was just hoping to get through five," he said. "Getting through that extra inning was a bonus, and I wanted to get through five innings in at least one outing this spring. And I was able to do that today. Me and (Welington) Castillo figured some stuff out after that fourth inning, so we're happy about that.

"I went over to minor league camp and threw I think 4 2/3 or five or something, but I really wanted to get in a big league game before I headed up and luckily I was able to do that today. They got me on a couple of pitches, but it happens."

Bundy has been named the No. 2 starter and will take the mound on April 5 against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards.

"It means a lot for me. I know that," he said. "I'm happy about it. Like I said, it doesn't matter what number game it is. As long as I'm pitching in the big leagues, I'm happy.

"It's a lot easier knowing what I'm going to be doing instead of guessing and hoping. I know I'm going to start this year and I can work on my routine every week and figure out my pitches in my bullpen sessions in between starts. Now that we've figured something out during the game, we can work on it going forward."

Here's more from Showalter:

On being pleased with camp: "Considering all the challenges we had with the WBC and people moving around, logistical challenge, but got through it. For the most part we're healthy and we've identified some solid depth pieces. A lot of things we hoped would happen kind of happened, materialized, so to speak. A lot of things we thought could present themselves for us have and we're able to for the most part go forward with those pieces. Even made some additions while we were down here that can help us. Really three or four.

"Pedro came in. Asher came in. Two or three more that showed up a little later. Janish got here a little later. A lot of people forget where we were when we started compared to where we are now, so patience was a virtue once more."

On what he learned about Asher during a scoreless inning: "What his arm action looks like, stuff a little bit. Talking to Caleb (Joseph), some heavy run sink, a four-pitch mix that we knew coming in. A nice optionable option for us as a starter and a reliever. He's done well. He's a good addition for us, especially with the give up."

On whether club will be top-heavy early with outfielders: "Not if you look at the fact that we're carrying 11 pitchers, eight of which will be in the bullpen right now, it looks like. It could change between now and the time we have to turn in the roster. I'm telling you the way we look now compared to until we have to completely show our hand on Sunday."

On Tyler Wilson and Vidal Nuño being in the bullpen: "That's the plan now. It could change between now and Sunday. The waiver wire is hopping, different things going on.

"I really feel for guys this time of the year because I'd love to tell them something that I know. I'm very careful about this time of the year not telling them something that's not going to come to pass. They've got families and cars and lives and moms and dads and you really want to try to get it out there. We look at this so much with a sense of finality and it really isn't. But I've got a good feel for the way we're going to break as we sit here, but that could change in the next 48 hours."