Today's roster move and tonight's game

NEW YORK - Another day has arrived when the Orioles must make a difficult roster decision. Do they designate a player for assignment, option a player or pull off a trade?

The optioning part doesn't seem likely with so few players offering that type of flexibility. Ryan Flaherty can be sent down, but he's a backup at all four infield positions. The Orioles would rather not slide Manny Machado to shortstop if J.J. Hardy is hurt or needs a rest.

Executive vice president Dan Duquette is working the phones in an attempt to find a trade partner. The Orioles are convinced that any player who hits the waiver wire will be claimed by another team.

At this point, I'm hesitant to continue speculating on the move. You know the candidates to be removed from the 25-man roster. You could make a logical argument for keeping or cutting each one.

I can keep updating Chris Parmelee's July swoon. He's 6-for-40 after going hitless last night in three at-bats, but he scalded a ball to right-center field that Jacoby Ellsbury ran down, and the Orioles like his defense at first base and in right. He's certainly become more of a regular than David Lough and Nolan Reimold.

Do you interpret Parmelee's steady playing time as an indication that he's staying or that the Orioles are taking an extended look at him before making a decision? Is it mostly a product of the club facing a bevy of right-handed starters?

The only certainty right now is that Kevin Gausman will come off the taxi squad and return to the rotation for tonight's game. This will be his fourth start of the season and his second ever at Yankee Stadium following Derek Jeter's final home game last year.

Gausman is 3-1 with a 2.28 ERA in nine career outings (three starts) against the Yankees, with five walks and 26 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings. The three wins are his most versus any major league team. He's 1-0 with a 1.86 ERA in four games (one start) in the Bronx, with three walks and 11 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings.

The current Yankees are 12-for-60 (.200) against Gausman. Brett Gardner is 3-for-10 with a home run, Jacoby Ellsbury is 1-for-10, Stephen Drew is 0-for-8 with four strikeouts and Mark Teixeira is 1-for-8 with three strikeouts.

In Gausman's last start before the break, he allowed seven earned runs (eight total) and seven hits over 3 2/3 innings in Minnesota. In his previous start, he shut out the Rangers on four hits and struck out seven batters in 6 1/3 innings.

Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova is making his fifth start of the season. He's 5-3 with a 5.03 ERA in 13 career games (12 starts) against the Orioles.

Matt Wieters is 11-for-31 with three doubles and four home runs against Nova. He caught last night and he'll stay in the lineup tonight, whether he's behind the plate or serving as the designated hitter.

Chris Davis is 8-for-24 with a double, three home runs, 10 RBIs and eight strikeouts, Flaherty is 3-for-7, Travis Snider is 3-for-4 with a double and home run, Adam Jones is 8-for-37 with two doubles and a home run, and Machado is 1-for-14.

Jones is 11-for-22 with three home runs in his last five games. He's recorded at least one hit in 10 of his 11 games against the Yankees this season.

Jimmy Paredes is batting .429 (12-for-28) with a double, triple, two home runs and six RBIs in seven games against the Yankees this season.

The Orioles are 0-7 when failing to record an extra-base hit.