Showalter on Bundy: "It's been a long road for him" (O's down 4-1)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Three pitches into today's game, the Orioles had runners on first and second with no outs on Adam Jones' leadoff single and Jonathan Schoop's double. Manny Machado flied to right field, Jones scored, Schoop advanced and the Orioles led 1-0.

Schoop was stranded at third after Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo struck out, and the Orioles settled for one run off Rays right-hander Jake Odorizzi.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter expects to make a decision on Tuesday's starter after today's game against the Rays.

He doesn't know how many innings Dylan Bundy can supply today. He doesn't know how deeply he'll have to dig into his bullpen.

"We're going to put our best foot forward and try to win today and see where we are with our bullets after today," Showalter said.

Showalter hasn't provided the media with a pitch count or innings limit for Bundy, but "we know where we wouldn't go past," he said.

"Today is the same thing he's been doing. We've given him plenty of time to warm up with four or five days off and he's pitched. Nothing really new going on today except he's going to start the game. It's almost like we've been treating him like a piggyback reliever. Now, it's kind of the other way around.

"It's been a challenge in the bullpen with him. We found out early in the year that with one or two days off and pitching him, it wasn't real good. You see how crisper and better he is when he has three, four, five days off. It reeks of a starter pitcher, all the things you watch. We'll see. But there's nothing that much that's really changing from what he's done."

Bundy's teammates are in tune with what Bundy's endured and the high ceiling he offers as a prospect.

"They know it," Showalter said. "Every time he'd come in and pitch two or three innings ... everybody knows. I think guys are looking forward to playing behind him. I talk to our guys all the time. They'll say, 'What are you thinking about Dylan?' I've got it. I know what they're thinking.

"I think we've waited. I know there was a lot of temptation in May and June, and now we've got 70-some games left. This is what we hoped in spring training we'd get to this year. It's been a long road for him, and one day isn't going to make it.

"As far as the physical part of it and the risk factor, it's a risk with (Brad) Brach throwing 40 games, everything's a risk, but it's also why you do what you do. There's no set this increment and this means he can only do this. It's very convenient for a lot of people to think there is, but there isn't. There's no scientific data or numbers to really show. As you all know, you can make numbers show just about anything you want them to show if you look long enough. But this is about a human being, this is about someone who's done everything you're supposed to do. He's not looking back and wondering now."

Showalter had Hyun Soo Kim, interpreter Danny Lee, head athletic trainer Richie Bancells and first base coach/outfield instructor Wayne Kirby in his office this morning. He was gathering more information on Kim's running drills and whether the disabled list would come into play.

Kim will accompany the team to New York this evening.

"Wayne and Richie have been with this from the get-go and they know what this looked like and that looked like," Showalter said. "Had him in here. I look more at his facial expressions and you kind of get to know the guy a little bit. You can tell he feels a lot better about where he is today. It was encouraging.

"He was good till right at the end. He felt it just a little bit when they were doing some short bursts, simulating breaks at first base. That was the only thing he felt. He went through a lot today."

Showalter wasn't certain if closer Zach Britton would be available today after saving the first two games of the series and also getting the save in Tuesday's All-Star Game. He was going to check on Britton after batting practice.

"We let him know," Showalter said. "I don't want them wondering for seven innings because they all go through some pregame preparations.

"It's such a fraternity for those guys out there, our guys for sure. If I tell them, 'You're not pitching today,' they don't want to sit in the dugout. They want to be down there and I know it's not because Dom (Chiti) is that entertaining. And especially sitting in this bullpen with no bathroom. They (Rays) have a bathroom, but the visiting team doesn't have a bathroom."

Update: Bundy struck out leadoff hitter Logan Forsythe on a 97 mph fastball, but he surrendered a two-out solo home run to Evan Longoria on a 97 mph heater to tie the game in the first inning.

Update II: Oswaldo Arcia hit an opposite-field, two-run homer with two outs in the second to break a 1-1 tie. Bundy is up to 35 pitches.

Update III: Brad Miller led off the third inning with a home run to increase the lead to 4-1.