Showalter on Machado, Beckham, Hays and Britton (O's down 6-0)

Manny Machado is absent from the Orioles lineup tonight and manager Buck Showalter is considering whether to send him home due to an illness that's also struck a few other players in the clubhouse.

"It's something that we've been dealing with for, I guess, two weeks," said Showalter. "He's pretty sick. So that's what that's about.

"He's got total body ... his body's aching all over. I don't know if you all saw him in the clubhouse. We're actually thinking about sending him home, but I'm not sure if we're going to do that or not. We've had guys fighting through this for, I'd say, a good two or two and a half weeks. Two or three guys carrying it around and of course everybody gets it in the clubhouse. I'm sure Boston's had stuff like this. And every team we play.

"We've got three guys in the top 10 in at-bats in the American League and Manny's one of them. Our guys have been remarkable with their endurance and their durability. I think something like this, I know it reminds me just how much of a post-up group they are."

Adam Jones is a shining example tonight, staying in the lineup after being hit last night on the right hand by Craig Kimbrel's 98 mph fastball.

"I mean, Adam gets smoked on a ball from a guy who obviously throws hard. Their whole bullpen does," Showalter said.

"A long time ago, a doctor told me there are bad tissue guys and good tissue guys. Some guys just heal a little faster than others. Adam's one of those guys. It gets tougher as you get older, as you all know. But he's been remarkable, a rock of durability."

While Jones stays in center field tonight, Machado will be a day-to-day evaluation.

"If he looks and feels (tomorrow) like he did today, he won't play tomorrow," Showalter said. "I'm not real sure if he should have played last night, to be honest with you."

Ryan Flaherty is starting tonight for the first time since replacing Machado at third base on May 18 in Detroit. He didn't play again for exactly three months due to a shoulder/lat injury that forced him on the disabled list.

J.J. Hardy is making his first start at Camden Yards since June 18. Tim Beckham had an abscessed wisdom tooth extracted.

"He's obviously not available," Showalter said. "Still bleeding some from that. Hopefully, that will be a one-day thing before he's available again."

Rookie Austin Hays was tabbed as the leadoff hitter. Necessity or for evaluation purposes?

"More necessity, but through necessity sometimes you find out other things," Showalter said. "You look at walk totals. There are certain categories with young players that change in the big leagues, go up, and I'm hoping that his walk totals go up. But kind of, if not him, who?

"Who was the other option? We looked at it for about 45 minutes. It was a fun lineup."

Showalter considered moving Jones atop the order before choosing Hays.

The Orioles aren't certain whether closer Zach Britton will pitch again this month. There are discussions about shutting him down for the final 10 games.

"We're waiting on some reports on some exit physicals, MRIs, blood work and different stuff that we try to do so we're not surprised by something in, say, January or February. If there's something that we need to get ahead of," Showalter said.

"We're waiting for an update on Zach's knee, see if there's any structural changes since the last time we did it (MRI). We'll have that information before game time."

Britton has dealt with varying levels of discomfort in the knee since 2014 and managed to put together an historic season last summer. He continues to wear a brace.

"I think he's felt it all along to some extent, really the last three years," Showalter said. "It's nothing that we think is going to require any type of surgical procedure. What's there should heal itself in the off-season.

"This is something Zach had been pitching through for quite a while now, but you want to stay on top of it. If it's getting worse, you need to make an adjustment."

For the Red Sox
Xander Bogaerts SS
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Andrew Benintendi LF
Mookie Betts RF
Hanley Ramirez DH
Sam Travis 1B
Deven Marrero 3B
Sandy Leon C
Jackie Bradley Jr. CF

Chris Sale LHP

Update: Mookie Betts hit a two-run homer off Wade Miley in the fourth inning to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.

Deven Marrero hit a two-run shot with two outs in the inning to increase the lead to 4-0.

Update II: Hanley Ramirez's two-run double off Mike Wright gave Boston a 6-0 lead in the fifth. All the runs are charged to Miley, who lasted only 4 1/3 innings.