Thoughts on closer, Carroll's arrival and non-waiver deadline

The Orioles concluded their homestand by winning three straight games over the Rays by scores of 15-5, 11-2 and 11-5. No save situations with Zach Britton off the roster.

Showalter won't name a replacement closer, his hesitancy before Sunday based in part on the expected departure of right-hander Brad Brach, who eventually was traded to the Braves.

Mychal Givens and Tanner Scott profile as potential ninth-inning specialists. Givens has one career save and it came to him in a 6-3 victory over the Rays in Game 1 of a May 12 doubleheader at Camden Yards. He recorded the last five outs.

Right-hander Cody Carroll, obtained from the Yankees in the Britton trade, will be in the Bronx tonight and wait to make his major league debut. He's recorded 22 saves in 32 opportunities in the minors, going 9-for-12 this year at Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes/Barre, but he might have to get in line.

Showalter has been sifting through his closer options in anticipation of a bullpen overhaul, which includes the loss of Darren O'Day to season-ending hamstring surgery.

"I've got an idea," he said. "I'd like to look at it a little bit, but we'll see how it develops. I would be better off telling you who it isn't going to be. Sometimes, it's last man standing, too."

Carroll, who pitched in the Triple-A All-Star Game, was 3-0 with a 2.38 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 32 games at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and opponents in the International League were batting .184 against him. He's pitched twice with Norfolk and allowed one run in two innings.

In 43 2/3 innings this summer, Carroll has walked 18 batters and struck out 57 and he still hasn't surrendered a home run. He's given up only eight homers over 228 innings in the minors.

The Orioles have three openings on their 40-man roster and no corresponding move is necessary.

A fresh arm is attached to Carroll, 25, who hasn't pitched since Saturday in Toledo.

A scout from outside the organization who has watched Carroll in the Arizona Fall League and in the minors labeled him as "big league ready right now and could work in the sixth to eighth innings."

"He's a guy that's up to 100 mph," the scout said. "Sinker/slider guy with a big-time power arm and a good slider. If I could throw out a guy who's sort of similar, the closest that they have similar is Givens. In the sense of the stuff. He throws a little harder than Givens. But a really good angle and he throws strikes. That's good. I saw him a lot last year and he kept on getting better and better.

"He's a guy that I see as doing Brach's role when they had the whole bullpen in harmony. He's ready."

The Orioles can visit with Britton today and perhaps do something really weird like have to face him. Danny Valencia is 4-for-18 with a double against him, Tim Beckham is 0-for-6 with three strikeouts, Mark Trumbo is 1-for-3 and Jace Peterson is 0-for-1.

Yefry Ramírez makes his second career start against the Yankees and first in the Bronx after they traded him to the Orioles at last year's non-waiver deadline for international bonus pool money. You know, back when the Orioles were giving it away like Halloween candy.

Ramírez allowed four runs and nine hits over four innings in Game 2 of a July 9 doubleheader. Brett Gardner homered off him.

The non-waiver trade deadline arrives at 4 p.m. and executive vice president Dan Duquette has fielded plenty of calls regarding Givens, starters Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy and second baseman Jonathan Schoop. I'm told that the door isn't closed on moving a non-pending free agent, though the focus has mainly been centered on the guys with expiring contracts.

Here's the usual reminder that everything can change with one phone call or text message. Making predictions is a dangerous game.

The Pirates have been pushing to acquire Gausman, per sources.

Meanwhile, center fielder Adam Jones hasn't given any indication that he'll waive his 10-5 rights and accept a trade. The Orioles aren't just interested in getting a prospect in return. They want to be able to redirect those dollars from his contract toward the rebuild.