The Orioles are discussing whether they need to make two roster moves following tonight's 12-10 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
One player must be removed from the 25-man roster to make room for starter Jair Jurrjens, and the Orioles might need another bullpen arm after Alex Burnett threw 28 pitches and Troy Patton threw 40.
"We were starting to talk about it a little bit," said manager Buck Showalter. "It's hard to talk during the game. I'm aware of what went on in Norfolk, and Bowie for that matter. It's to be continued down there. We'll see. There's some options there. Obviously, we'd like to think we're going to have to make room for Miguel (Gonzalez) on Tuesday and for Jurrjens tomorrow. That's pretty easy math for all of us."
My math was challenged by all the runs and hits tonight.
Jason Hammel is a bigger concern now after allowing seven runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings to raise his ERA to 5.72. He's surrendered 17 earned runs in his last three starts over 14 2/3 innings. He allowed 15 earned runs in his first six starts over 35 2/3 innings.
"His command. He's fighting himself and just not getting the ball where he wants to get it," Showalter said. "Stuff-wise, he's in pretty good shape, but there's two parts to that equation, and nobody knows that more than Jason.
"It's not always just one thing cut and dry that you can say, 'This is it.' That's not the way the game works. He just hasn't been able to carry over and repeat really good pitches. He's got some sequences and things in his favor that he can't take advantage of and get the ball in the right place in the right count. They're good hitters. They've been swinging the bat well and you saw that tonight. It seemed like everything they put in play was out of our reach."
Orioles starters have gone five innings or fewer in five of the last six games.
"We hope to get Miggy back pitching like he's capable of. That would help. And we're going to get (Wei-Yin) Chen back at some point," Showalter said.
"We had some challenges last year and we will again this year. That's part of it. It's frustrating for us as a team, not as a pitching staff, to score 10 and not be able to win the game. But it happens sometimes.
"I was an out or two away from getting some of those guys out of the game. Next thing I know, we had the tying run at the plate."
Chris Dickerson's three-run homer in the eighth allowed the Orioles to later twice bring the tying run to the plate.
"Chris had a big blow for us. Good to see. Get us back in it," Showalter said.
"Crowd was real impressive tonight. Staying around and giving us a lift there toward the end. Hopefully, we can repay that starting tomorrow.
"I thought Yami (Yamaico Navarro) did a nice job at second base tonight. He had a lot of adrenaline going and gave us a little lift there. He made a really nice play up the middle. But Ham, he and we have to figure it out because we need him."
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