Trumbo unsure of return after latest setback (O's down 13-1)

Mark Trumbo is trying to stay optimistic that he's going to play for the Orioles in 2019. That his major league career won't end after September knee surgery.

He might know more about his future in the next few weeks.

Trumbo received a platelet-rich plasma injection in the right knee yesterday and has been shut down again after eight rehab games. He's left Triple-A Norfolk and slipped into a wait-and-see mode, hopeful that he can begin a new assignment and eventually join the Orioles for more than clubhouse visits and medical updates.

"I'd like to be (optimistic)," he said this afternoon. "We're trying to figure out exactly what's in the cards. I think in addition to the surgery that gets talked about more often than not, some of the arthritic stuff is trending toward kind of a tougher outlook. We're trying to figure out what I can do to help the team and when that's going to be possible."

Trumbo was scratched from Norfolk's lineup on Wednesday and returned to Baltimore the following day.

"I've given it kind of what I have so far and there was just enough discomfort and the production wasn't really at a level that it's ready to go at the top," Trumbo said. "Some of my moves in the batter's box, swings, weren't quite what we're looking for yet. And some of the stuff at first base was a bit much, so we're trying to do this in the right manner.

"I tried to give it a shot a few times to play, but I think we're going to take a couple weeks and kind of reevaluate things."

Trumbo is completing the final season of the three-year, $37.5 million deal he signed with the Orioles. He's already played parts of nine seasons in the majors and is unsure if there will be a 10th after having cartilage repaired in the knee and failing in his attempt to break camp with the team.

"You do this as long as you can and you try to remain relatively healthy, but there's probably some tradeoffs that I'll have to talk about with my family and with the people here," he said. "I've been fortunate to play quite a few years with relatively good health and then these last couple of years have been a little more challenging.

"I think you have to weigh the risks and the upside. We haven't quite gotten that far along yet, but sooner or later we're going to have to talk about it."

The possibility exists that Trumbo could walk away for good if the knee doesn't improve to the point where he's able to resume playing by July.

Asked whether the idea of not playing again would enter his mind, Trumbo replied "Yeah, it probably would."

"That's pretty tough," he said. "You want to remain optimistic as long as you can until things just tell you it's not in the cards. But hopeful that the PRP shot will provide some of the relief we're looking for. Some of the things are unknowns and can trend in the right direction pretty quickly. Sometimes they don't.

"I'm going to anticipate some sort of return in the near future and we'll deal with whatever else happens."

Brandon Hyde had the chance to manage Trumbo in spring training, but not in a regular season game.

"I was looking forward to managing and being with Mark," he said. "Before this year, I talked to him on the phone a couple times in the offseason. I know a lot of people who have played with him or been around him a lot and everything that I've heard is exactly what I saw in spring training in the limited time we've had together. He's just such a first-class guy, a pro.

"Obviously, it hurts not having him around and we'd love to have him in our clubhouse and in our lineup, but it's just one of those things where he's got an injury and it's going to take a long time to come back from. I give him a ton of credit for trying to come back way ahead of schedule and be a part of the club. But the right thing to do is to make sure Mark is right and make sure his knee's OK.

"I know he's disappointed and I'm sure a little frustrated with having such a really good career and going through this right now. I just feel bad for him. I wish he was around hitting third for us, but it is what it is."

However the situation plays out, Trumbo knows that he's done everything possible to get back on the field and in a major league lineup. There won't be any regrets.

"That's been my mindset all along," he said. "I'm going to exhaust all the options and try to play when things seem to permit, but I guess both times now it hasn't quite gotten to the point where it's at a level that is going to cut it up here. Or the health is consistent enough to be an attribute to the team."

Meanwhile, Andrew Cashner is unable to start tonight due to a blister on his right middle finger - leaving the Orioles scrambling for a starter and bullpen depth - but he should be able to avoid the injured list.

A hot spot developed on the finger during his last start in Houston.

"It's good," he said. "After the game the other day, I threw in the bullpen and it just kind of came back after the bullpen. It just kind of came back up. Now it's just day-to-day and be ready for this road trip.

"It should just be pushed back a couple days. I'll probably test it Sunday and see where we're at and then pitch somewhere on this road trip."

The Orioles are in Oakland beginning Monday and move on to Seattle.

"I don't think it's that serious by any means," Cashner said. "I've gotten them throughout my career on my finger, but when I threw in the bullpen the other day is when it kind of got bad. I've never had that happen, so it needs a few more days."

Cashner said he's also been dealing with an illness.

"I've been sick the last couple days, too," he said, "so it's everything's going on right now kind of thing."

Shameless plug alert: I'm appearing on "O's Xtra" that airs at 6:30 p.m. on MASN and I'll drop by the booth for a half-inning during the game.

Update: Trey Mancini homered in the first inning to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.

Update II: Brock Holt's two-run homer in the second gave the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.

Update III: Christian Vázquez homered off Luis Ortiz leading off the fourth and Michael Chavis had an RBI single off Dan Straily for a 4-1 lead. All four runs were charged to Ortiz, who threw 80 pitches in 3 1/3 innings.

J.D. Martinez hit a two-run homer later in the inning to give the Red Sox a 6-1 lead.

Update IV: Straily served up three home runs in the fifth - two-run shots by Jackie Bradley Jr. and Chavis and a solo shot by Martinez - and the Orioles are down 11-1.

Update V: Andrew Benintendi's two-run single off Josh Rogers in the sixth gave Boston a 13-1 lead.