Roster undergoing changes to start second half

As the five Orioles get ready for tonight's All-Star Game in San Diego, they also may wonder how the roster will look on Thursday when players gather at Tropicana Field.

The Orioles are taking a 2 p.m. flight to Tampa and heading directly to the ballpark for a 6 p.m. workout.

The rotation is a little light at the moment. It includes three confirmed starters, with Yovani Gallardo pitching on Friday and Chris Tillman on Saturday versus the Rays and Kevin Gausman pitching Monday night against the Yankees in the Bronx.

Who's starting on Sunday? And who's the fifth starter with Mike Wright and Tyler Wilson at Triple-A Norfolk and Ubaldo Jimenez a possibility for the bullpen?

Manager Buck Showalter said the Orioles are keeping Wright and Wilson on pitch limits in case one of them is chosen to re-enter the rotation.

The Orioles may add a left-handed reliever before Friday's game. Showalter doesn't want closer Zach Britton to be the only southpaw, and he's aware that left-handed hitters are batting .404 against Mychal Givens.

They were 6-for-36 against Darren O'Day, who remains on the disabled list.

Left-handers on the 40-man roster include Jayson Aquino, Ashur Tolliver, Chris Lee and Ariel Miranda. Lee hasn't pitched since May 23 with Bowie, a strained lat sending him to the disabled list. Miranda was optioned on July 4, Aquino on July 6. Tolliver was optioned back on June 26 and joined his wife Kelli for the birth of their son.

The 40-man isn't an issue when considering moves. The Orioles created an opening on Sunday by outrighting right-hander David Hale to Triple-A Norfolk.

Reliever Jason Garcia was optioned back to Double-A Bowie following Sunday's 4-2 win over the Angels at Camden Yards, leaving an opening on the 25-man roster. Givens will go on paternity leave Friday if his baby isn't born during the All-Star break.

Outfielder Hyun Soo Kim strained his right hamstring in the first inning of Sunday's game and currently is day-to-day. Showalter sounded optimistic that Kim would be fine in a few days, based on what translator Danny Lee told him, but it's too early to know.

Lots of moving parts.

Jimenez is the wild card. The Orioles will need two starters if he comes out of the rotation, and it's difficult to imagine him getting another turn. He could replace Garcia if he goes to the bullpen, but it already carries Givens, Britton, Brad Brach, Dylan Bundy, Chaz Roe, Vance Worley and Odrisamer Despaigne. Garcia was an extra guy for two days.

Too soon for Bundy in the rotation? He hasn't gone more than three innings or thrown more than 57 pitches this season. While withholding the Jimenez jokes, consider how this move doesn't suddenly give the Orioles length from a starter. At least not right away. But I understand the temptation to turn him loose.

I also understand the concerns about pushing him too soon when the No. 1 goal all along has been to keep him healthy in 2016 and let him compete for a rotation spot in 2017.

Plans and stances can change in the blink of an eye, but I haven't received any indication that the Orioles are considering Worley for the rotation.