Showalter pregame on strikeouts and injury updates (O's lose 6-5)

DETROIT - The Orioles strike out a lot. That we knew. But their strikeout rate to date is up over 2017. Through Tuesday's games, the Orioles strikeout rate of 28.5 percent is the worst in the major leagues, with the Chicago White Sox next at 27.3 percent and San Diego third at 26.6. Last year the Orioles ranked ninth in the majors with a 23.0 percent strikeout rate.

"We'd like to not ever strike out," manager Buck Showalter said during his pregame media session. "If you are getting a return, if you are scoring runs (that is one thing). But we are not scoring enough runs to win the games that we pitch well in, so that's always a concern. Yeah, it's something everybody is concerned with."

Tim Beckham leads the Orioles with 24 strikeouts, and that ranks tied for sixth in the American League. Chris Davis is tied for 11th with 21 and Adam Jones is tied for 14th with 20.

The Orioles fanned 12 more times in last night's 4-2 loss at Detroit. They lead the majors with 189 strikeouts, with Texas next at 173. Are the hitters failing to make in-game and in-series adjustments? Showalter agreed that may well be true, but said it is not limited to the Orioles.

"All hitters do. It's a game of constant adjustments. Pitch to pitch and at-bat to at-bat. Things are thrown at you every day, and that's why hitting is so hard to do. Guys are trying to make the adjustments. It just hasn't happened. I see all the work that goes into it every day. You'd like to see a return for the amount of effort they put into it," he said.

The Orioles rank 11th in the American League in runs scored, and they've been held to two or fewer eight times already.

In providing a few injury updates today, Showatler said there is still is not a set date for Mark Trumbo to resume his minor league game rehab schedule. On the disabled list with a right quad strain, Trumbo played one game at Double-A Bowie last Tuesday and had to be temporarily shut down.

"I wouldn't put a date on it. There is one little spot, so to speak, that we are trying to get resolved. There is a pretty good history of guys that have tried to come back too quick from that deep quad. Trying to let it heal all the way. We thought it had. We've thought about a best-case scenario when we would start that up again, but we'll wait to see how things go on the homestand," Showalter said.

The Orioles realize that second baseman Jonathan Schoop's return from a grade I right oblique strain will not happen as soon as his 10-day stay on the disabled list is over. He went on the DL on April 14 at Boston. But they are hopeful it will be not a long-term thing, either.

"We are hoping we don't get the long oblique recovery," Showalter said. "We think we've got a chance for it not to be the month or month and a half (situation). It could be less than that, we hope."

Meanwhile, outfielder Colby Rasmus has been on the disabled list since April 7 with a left hip flexor strain. He is rehabbing in Florida and his return is not imminent.

"Slow. Slow. We thought about an injection, but after looking at the history and the healing process that is going on there feel like he will be OK without the injection," the skipper said.

Showalter also expressed confidence in reliever Mychal Givens. The right-hander gave up a run in the eighth last night and has been scored on in four of eight outings. He has a 6.52 ERA through 9 2/3 innings.

"There is such a fine line between empathy and sympathy for us," Showalter said. "Mike has built a lot of cache and a track record. I think we'll like where he is when it's all said and done. Right now I don't think he's quite got the feel, command-wise, that he's had in the past. What do you do, not pitch him? We know what he's capable of and he'll figure it out."

Two longballs so far: The teams have traded solo homers and the Orioles and Tigers are tied 1-1 after three innings. Danny Valencia hit his second homer in the second inning for a 1-0 Baltimore lead. He drilled a 3-2 changeup from lefty Matthew Boyd 418 feet to left. That was just the third O's homer over the past seven games.

The Tigers drew even when Jeimer Candelario led off the third with a homer to right. He hit a Kevin Gausman fastball at 90.8 mph a distance of 404 feet for his second homer of the season.

Detroit moves in front: Miguel Cabrera hit a Gausman hanging slider for a homer in the sixth to break the 1-1 tie. It was the second of 2018 for Cabrera, who has 21 homers and 63 RBIs in 64 career games versus the Orioles.

O's rally: The Orioles offense broke out for three runs and a 4-2 lead in the eighth. Manny Machado's single tied it 2-2. Adam Jones' sac fly made it a 3-2 lead and a Chris Davis single off the left wall provided the 4-2 margin.

Tigers retake lead: Darren O'Day came on to pitch the eighth and struck out Miguel Cabrera but then got into trouble. Nicholas Castellanos roped a double into the left field corner. Victor Martinez then poked a single to left. With runners at the corners, Tigers catcher John Hicks clubbed a hanging O'Day breaking pitch to give the Tigers the lead back. O's now trail 5-4.

Sardiñas solo ties it: Luis Sardiñas, pinch-hitting for Caleb Joseph in the top of the ninth, re-tied the game with a leadoff homer off Tigers closer Shane Greene.

Walk-off win for Tigers: With the score tied 5-5, Rule 5 man Pedro Araujo came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth. No. 9 hitter Dixon Machado sent Araujo's second offering over the left field wall to send Tigers fans home happy. O's lose 6-5.