Showalter on closer role and meeting with Hess (game update)

ARLINGTON, Texas - So with Zach Britton, Darren O'Day and Brad Brach all traded, Richard Bleier out injured, where do the Orioles turn for their closer at this point? Of the current pitchers in their bullpen, they have combined for one save with the Orioles, and that is a save that Mychal Givens got earlier this year.

"Right now the challenge has been being able to get to that situation," said manager Buck Showalter. "There are people I'd like to see in that situation. Sometimes you have to use people that you want to see in that situation to get to that situation.

"It's nothing I'm going to announce and tell them and anoint them. It's going to be kind of pick and choose. We'll get enough looks at it to get a feel. More than anything I want, when this year is over, to be ahead of the curve on things we have to make decisions about in the offseason. These opportunities, not only for the players, but for us to see them in this environment are going to be gone at some point.

"No one embraces analytics more than I do, but you watch (Evan) Phillips pitch last night, you watch the hitters. Certain hitters you know are real good fastball hitters, you watch their reaction to his fastball. He comes with a reputation for a late-life fastball. Like Caleb (Joseph) said last night, it registers 94 and it feels 97. Evan's ability to get left-handed hitters out in the minor leagues has really caught my eye. I think his step to another level will be how his breaking ball comes. He threw a really good changeup last night."s

Among the pitchers that could get save chances is Givens, who is 0-6 with a 4.92 ERA. Givens has been scored on in five of his last six games and has an ERA of 6.40 since June 1. But Showalter said he would still consider him to close games.

"Who knows? He might get a save situation, might get the ball and all the sudden you go, 'Wow, that's a little different guy.' Mike's challenge is consistency."

Speaking of struggling pitchers, right-handed starter David Hess gave up seven runs in 3 1/3 last night. After pitching to an ERA of 3.07 in his first five O's starts, his ERA is 11.14 his last five.

Today Showalter said he met with Hess and they went through every one of the 81 pitches he threw last night.

"If there is failure, we're going to attack it," Showalter said. "A lot of guys that went on to have great careers, started out this way too. I just don't go, 'He doesn't have the ability.' We looked at 'What were you trying to do there? What happened? And why did that happen?' Because he had a lot of pitches that were balls right out of his hand. Guys want to swing up here. If you can show them that you can manipulate the ball and put it where you want to put it, than they get into swing mode and swing at some of those bad pitches. We can't be trying to go down and away and throw it middle in. And you can get fooled by two or three innings where you are getting away with it."

Meanwhile Showalter said Craig Gentry and Steve Wilkerson are close to going out on minor league rehab assignments. Gentry has been on the DL retroactive since June 24 with a left rib fracture and Wilkerson since July 2 with a left oblique strain. Wilkerson was close to going out to play a few days ago. But the scheduled changed.

"We've had to revise the schedule a few times," the skipper said. "Just listening to our medical people and the feedback we get from the player. We don't want to push it. That is not a good idea. They are getting closer to a rehab. Craig is really close to going out. I think Monday. If I had to handicap it, I think Craig is a little ahead."

Showalter will not bite on questions about minor league outfielder Cedric Mullins and when we might see him in Baltimore. But reporters tried again today.

"I'll let Dan (Duquette), Brian Graham, RJ (Ron Johnson), I'll let them decide. We've talked about things like that. Kind of more a when, then if. It requires putting people on the roster. I don't think people here need to hear about people coming. These 12 positions players know that he's going to take somebody's place. So I try to stay away from that. Obviously I may know a little more than I'm going to say here."

Gallo homers again: Joey Gallo has homered in each game of this series. Tonight his two-run shot in the fourth off Dylan Bundy gave Texas the 2-0 lead. Gallo produced an exit velocity of 113.7 mph on his 29th homer. Over his last 26 games, he has 11 homers and 23 RBIs. The Orioles were held to one hit in the first four frames by Texas lefty Mike Minor.