Showalter on today's lineup decisions

CHICAGO - He has hit five homers over his last three games, going 7-for-12, and hit two homers last night, but Pedro Alvarez is not in tonight's starting lineup for the Orioles against White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon.

O's manager Buck Showalter is not always fond of lineup questions, but he got one today. Why is Alvarez, who has been so hot, not starting?

"Why he has been hot?" Showalter asked. "Because he's facing right-handed pitching. I like having a nice weapon on the bench, too. It also makes us a lot better defensively. And I want to get (Mark) Trumbo off his legs a little bit. We've been doing that all year and we got a nice return for it. We are also going to face, it looks like, five or six right-handed starters in a row. Probably try to play (Ryan) Flaherty tomorrow. Get Matt (Wieters) back catching tomorrow."

First baseman Chris Davis has been dropped to sixth in the batting order tonight. He has batted third in the order 15 times, fourth 76 times and batted fifth 13 times this year. But he has not hit as low as sixth yet this year - until tonight.

"Just fit better today. He'll be back up tomorrow," Showalter said. "Every day we look at it. It's a little better fit. We have Steve Pearce now, too."

Davis is batting just .130 with one homer, four RBIs and 40 strikeouts his past 25 games. Showalter was asked if there is anything he can say or do to try and help him get out of this extended slump.

"We do that all the time," Showalter said. "I try to leave that with Scott (Coolbaugh, hitting coach) and him. They've got a great relationship. You try to have a long memory and know what he's capable of. He's been a big contributor in some form or fashion last night. He doesn't make that play late in that ballgame, who knows what would have happened. He's still contributing and we all know he's capable of a lot more."

Meanwhile, left-hander T.J. McFarland will pitch for the Gulf Coast League Orioles on Tuesday to start a rehab assignment. He has been on the disabled list retroactive to June 29 with left knee inflammation.

"He's been building up (innings), he's been throwing," Showalter said. "Once he gets through the rehab in Sarasota, I don't know if they'll move him up progressively or just go right to Norfolk. We'll see how that outing goes down there."