Updates on Harvey, Akin and Kline

SEATTLE - Hunter Harvey will remain shut down for one more week before resuming a throwing program that was interrupted due to some discomfort in his right elbow.

Harvey underwent an MRI on Aug. 22 that didn't reveal any structural damage in the elbow, a huge relief to the young pitcher and an organization that's counting on him to become an integral part of the rebuilding process.

The tendinitis in Harvey's elbow is subsiding and he'll be allowed to throw again off flat ground. He was cleared on Aug. 6 to resume the program after experiencing some stiffness in his right forearm that removed him from the mound, but the Orioles shut him down again on Aug. 21.

The latest interruption set off more alarms based on the Tommy John surgery that Harvey underwent back in 2016. He's only 23, but the inability to make it through an entire season healthy remains a source of concern.

Harvey made only nine starts with Double-A Bowie and registered a 5.57 ERA and 1.392 WHIP in 32 1/3 innings. The Baysox have run out of games, but the Orioles want to send Harvey to the fall instructional league and they have four open spots for pitchers on the Glendale Desert Dogs roster in the Arizona Fall League.

The Orioles want to recoup some of the innings that Harvey has lost this summer.

The former first-round pick was placed on the seven-day disabled list after a June 1 start against Trenton, when he allowed six earned runs in two innings. He sustained a shoulder injury, termed "posterior shoulder instability," before the outing while trying to avoid a line drive headed toward him in the Baysox dugout.

If it weren't for bad luck ...

Meanwhile, Baysox left-hander Keegan Akin, 23, isn't expected to join the Orioles' expanded September roster. He'll have to settle for being chosen as the Eastern League's Pitcher of the Year and most likely the Orioles' Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

The second-round pick in 2016 went 14-7 with a 3.27 ERA in 25 starts with Bowie and he's accumulated a career-high 137 2/3 innings.

"There are no plans for him to come up here," said manager Showalter. "He doesn't have to be protected (in the Rule 5 draft) and he's right where he needs to be in his development and his age and his innings.

"We're excited about his progress. He had a great year. There are a lot of things to like about him and some other guys. A guy like Branden Kline, first time he's been healthy all year and he had an unbelievable year, I thought.

"I got to see a lot of tape of his games. That's real."

Kline, a second-round pick in 2012 out of the University of Virginia who lost almost three seasons to Tommy John surgery and a couple of setbacks, appeared to be a candidate for a September call-up. However, Showalter doesn't recommend it.

"The right move is to not bring him up," Showalter said. "I'm sure we'll protect him at the end of the year. We've got a lot of guys like that, but they're all in a little different scenario in where they are in their career."

Kline, 26, posted a 1.64 ERA with 17 saves in 65 2/3 innings between Single-A Frederick and Bowie.

The Orioles are expected to bring up another pitcher before tonight's game against the Mariners and right-hander Luis Ortiz is a strong candidate to pad the 25-man roster and fill one of two openings on the 40-man.

Ortiz, 22, was part of the three-player package obtained from the Brewers for second baseman Jonathan Schoop. He went 2-1 with a 3.69 ERA in six starts with Norfolk, and his 31 2/3 innings raised his season total to 99 2/3. He threw 94 1/3 last year at Double-A Biloxi.

Showalter indicated that a couple of roster additions are coming within the next few days. Executive vice president Dan Duquette is making those decisions.

The Orioles fell to 1-7 at Safeco Field over the past three seasons with last night's 2-1 loss to the Mariners. They've scored only eight runs in four games on the road trip.

"You know guys, that's baseball," said second baseman Jonathan Villar, who's homered in the last two games. "This year, we've had a bad year. It's a bad moment right now. That's OK. Next year is a new year. We'll come in and be ready for that situation. So, that's normal with one team."