Showalter on bullpen, Castillo, Manfra and more (we're tied)

The Orioles didn't make any roster moves this morning after considering the need for another reliever.

Mike Wright is available today after manager Buck Showalter stayed away from him in last night's 5-2 loss to the Red Sox. He also didn't want to use Mychal Givens, and he was going to call upon Darren O'Day or Brad Brach only if the Orioles were ahead.

Ubaldo Jiménez worked the eighth inning and allowed two runs to increase Boston's lead to 4-1.

"In the American League, if somebody's in your bullpen, they're going to pitch. Otherwise, you're not going to have a bullpen," Showalter said.

"Guys like Brad, Mike and Darren won't be here at the All-Star break. We've got to keep them from those league-leaders in appearances."

Donnie Hart was charged with a run in the ninth inning to raise his ERA to 4.41 in 22 appearances. He had a 0.49 ERA last summer in 22 games.

"Command of the fastball hasn't been there consistently like it was and will be again, hopefully," Showalter said. "When Donnie kind of got on the radar, he was a good locator of the fastball. Once a left-handed reliever locates the fastball down and away to a left-handed hitter, the whole world opens up to him.

"He's made some mistakes with the breaking ball strike, instead of strike to ball, that's hurt him a few times."

Showalter said he can be mechanics, but that's not always the sole reason. There's also the mental side of the game.

"It's not always just one thing, especially with young guys who aren't really established over a long period. It kind of weighs on them a little bit, especially when they know how you're constantly trying to have people here to cover things. That weighs into it, too. It's a tough way to pitch, but that's the nature of the beast."

Catcher Welington Castillo threw in the outfield again this morning and apparently will go on an injury rehab assignment before coming off the 10-day disabled list. His injury wasn't nearly as bad as the one suffered by Caleb Joseph last year, though no one is downplaying it, considering the delicate nature.

"I was talking to him in the replay room," Showalter said. "He's been in there watching the pitchers. He's still a little sore. This is day four or five. In a perfect world, he'd catch day nine or 10, somewhere in there, so he can go right from there and be on time, but you really don't want to test it out in a big league game. No pun intended."

The Orioles will seek Joseph's input as Castillo gets closer to a return date.

"Will he not squat as good? Should he stand up more? I don't know," Showalter said.

"That's probably a conversation we should have with Caleb. It's one aspect to have somebody with us who's gone through it. It's one of those things you don't wish on anybody."

There's nothing new on closer Zach Britton and infielder Ryan Flaherty. Britton is still playing a "firm catch" down in Sarasota and Flaherty is waiting to be cleared to start throwing, which is expected to happen this week.

Showalter keeps saying that Britton is "right on schedule" and the team left some wiggle room in case the left-hander is ready earlier - depending on how many rehab games are needed.

Pedro Álvarez is playing right field again today at Triple-A Norfolk. He still hasn't exercised his latest opt-out and the Orioles still haven't found a roster spot for him.

Showalter began his media session by honoring Fred Manfra, who's broadcasting his final game today on 105.7 The Fan. Manfra is retiring after nearly 50 years in the business, including 25 with the Orioles.

The East Baltimore native and Patterson High School graduate joined Orioles radio broadcasts in 1993. He's also covered the NBA Finals and All-Star Games, Olympics, Stanley Cup Finals and All-Star Games, the Breeder's Cup and Triple Crown races, among other marquee events.

"Going to miss him," Showalter said. "Fifty years. Are you going to do this 50 years and be as good as it as he is? Fred's a good listen. Last night for some reason, one of our (trainers) as saying they were inside there and radio broadcast was on and he was talking about how good Fred was. I don't ever listen to it, but I've heard a lot of things about it.

"If they're on that long, they have to be really good at what they do. Fred's a Baltimore native. A lot of people have grown up listening to Fred. I know how serious he takes it about being organized, prepared. A lot of people will watch the game and listen to the radio. I know my mom did that for some reason. She liked Fred."

Manfra, 70 underwent two hip replacement surgeries in 2014 and a back procedure that forced him to reduce his work schedule. He agreed to work 11 home games this season, the last one today, before heading down to Florida to begin the next phase of his life.

"It's kind of sad," Showalter said. "I hope he's happy about it. I've seen some of the radio trips, the (physical) issues he had. Struggling, never complained, getting up those steps on the bus. Tough a few times, back and forth off that plane, but he worked through it. He played hurt. He posted up.

"He was always upbeat. He loves the Orioles. But he always walked that fine line between being a homer and reporting what was wrong, like we all try to. Well, not all of us. I'll speak for Fred anyway."

Update: The Orioles signed left-hander Lucas Luetge, 30, to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Norfolk.

Luetge was 1-2 with a 4.55 ERA in 20 relief appearances with Triple-A Louisville. The Reds released him on June 1.

Luetge is 25-21 with a 3.86 ERA in nine minor league seasons. The former 21st-round pick out of Rice University was 3-5 with a 4.35 ERA in 111 games with the Mariners from 2012-2015.

Update II: Chris Davis dumped a two-out, two-run single down the left field line in the bottom of the first inning to tie the score after Joey Rickard and Manny Machado executed a double steal.

Rickard was ruled out before the call was overturned.

Trey Mancini reached on a fielder's choice and Davis scored on Jonathan Schoop's double to left field to give the Orioles a 3-2 lead.

Chris Tillman threw 24 pitches in the top of the first and allowed a two-out, bases-loaded single to Jackie Bradley Jr. that gave Boston a brief 2-0 lead.

Update III: Andrew Benintendi led off the third inning with a game-tying home run.

Chris Sale threw 39 pitches in the first inning and 17 in the second.