Update on O'Day surgery, Ramirez starts Monday (O's down 3-2)

MINNESOTA - Orioles reliever Darren O'Day will undergo surgery on his left hamstring on June 12 in Baltimore, with Dr. Leigh Ann Curl handling the procedure.

O'Day won't pitch again in 2018.

Chris Davis' next strikeout will be his 1,305th with the Orioles to tie him with Cal Ripken Jr. for the all-time club record. Ripken played 3,001 games in 21 seasons with the Orioles. Davis has played 971 games in eight seasons.

Yefry Ramirez will start one of the games in Monday's doubleheader versus the Yankees at Camden Yards. The other starter will be determined later.

"We've got some options, depending on how we come out of here," said manager Buck Showalter. "I know (Jimmy) Yacabonis is scheduled to pitch Sunday (for Norfolk)."

The Orioles can bring up a 26th player for the doubleheader and everyone is in play. It doesn't have to be someone who's been optioned and spent at least 10 days in the minors.

"There are a lot of options in play there," Showalter said, "depending on how we use the bullpen here the next four days."

Ramirez earned another start after holding the Phillies to one earned run (two total) and one hit over five innings in Wednesday's 4-1 loss. He tossed five scoreless innings in relief on June 28.

"He's pitched well," Showalter said. "I don't know what else you've got to do. I like his presentation. I like the fact that, Roger (McDowell) changed some things on his grip and his slider has really taken a little bit better depth.

"I like the fact that he didn't really have a feel for his changeup that well the other day, which has really been a solid pitch for him, and he pitched well. But you can tell he's played a position. He's got a feel for game situations. And he smiles easily. He's a competitive guy. You see him at the plate, he knows his way around there.

"I like the way he presents himself on the mound. He's calm and seems to be aware of game situations."

Zach Britton received more positive feedback yesterday after retiring all three batters he faced on ground balls. Teams scouting him are becoming more convinced that he's rounding into form, which makes him a desirable trade chip for the Orioles.

"I told you right from the get-go there will be some steps both ways, but I can just tell from his face and the way he's feeling, he's very close," Showalter said. "Heck, he may come in tonight and may not have it, but Zach's going to get right back into step here shortly. I'd just like to create more situations for him. But he's very close to being there. He threw some good breaking balls yesterday, two of them."

Britton tries to block out the trade rumors that surface on social media. Manny Machado isn't the only Oriole who deals with it on a daily basis, but they still have a job to do.

"Everybody seems to focus on Manny and understandably so, but there's a lot of other guys," Showalter said. "Just because (reporters) aren't crowded around their locker asking them about it doesn't mean they don't have those same thoughts. I think they're all handling it well. Nobody's handling where we are as a team right now, understandably. That's a whole different thing. There's two sides to that.

"But I think if you've been in the big leagues as long as these guys that you're talking about have been, they kind of understand that's part of it. In fact, some of them feed off it."

Chris Tillman makes another start tonight with Triple-A Norfolk. He's allowed 10 earned runs and 14 hits with six walks and six strikeouts in nine innings in his three previous outings on the rehab assignment.

Update: Andrew Cashner allowed two runs, one earned, and threw 23 pitches in the third inning while falling behind 2-0. His error let Jake Cave score after a leadoff double and Eddie Rosario had an RBI single.

Update II: Logan Morrison homered on Cashner's first pitch of the fourth inning to increase the lead to 3-0.

Update III: Jonathan Schoop led off the fifth inning with his ninth home run to reduce the lead to 3-1.

Update IV: Schoop homered off Addison Reed in the seventh to reduce the lead to 3-2.