Updating Miguel Gonzalez and more

Miguel Gonzalez threw off flat ground today in his first session since going on the disabled list with tendinitis in his right shoulder and inflammation in his right elbow.

"Felt really good, no problems," said manager Buck Showalter. "Actually got more aggressive toward the end and didn't feel anything, so that's good news today."

The next step probably involves another flat ground session.

"Would do that again, I think," Showalter said. "That was the first time in a long time. Shoulder's felt good since two or three days after. But it's good news to hear about the elbow."

It's possible that the Orioles will send Gonzalez to the fall instructional league in Sarasota to face hitters before activating him later this month.

"I don't know. I hope we have that decision," Showalter said. "Depends on how much of a sim game we could set up, where we would and some of the logistics of it. I'd say it's a possibility. We may just do sim game stuff."

If Gonzalez is healthy and ready to pitch again, he's most likely going back into the rotation instead of the bullpen.

"I'm not going to say we wouldn't, but it would be nice to have him start," Showalter said. "I'd like for him to get a start or two under his belt. Like to see him hopefully be one of our starters in the playoffs."

Showalter said he's proud of reliever Brian Matusz for being the Orioles' nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award.

"It's pretty cool," Showalter said. "I'll tell you, Brian very quietly without drawing a lot of attention to himself, does a lot of stuff off the field. As a lot of our guys do. Through thick and thin, whether a good outing or a bad outing, Brian's been very consistently there for anything the club needs, but he's initiated a lot of stuff on his own. And I'm sure a lot of people who don't know Brian don't realize all the stuff he does like that. And it's after a night game, the crack of dawn the next morning, he's there, and when he commits to something, he's very consistent showing up and engaging with the people and realizing the effect of what he's allowed to do for a living can have on other people.

"I'm proud of him. Not just this year, either. This is something he's been very consistent with. A lot of people don't know that about him."

NASA astronaut Terry Virts will present the Orioles with a team jersey later today that he's worn on the International Space Station. He's a big fan of the team.

Showalter is honored by the gesture, but he also had a little fun with it.

"I'm not sure who's going to receive it," he said. "I thought about, you get paranoid about, do you wear rubber gloves to take it? It's not like it's been on the moon or something, right? But I think it's really cool when you stop and think about where it's been and the consideration ...

"I wonder if it's the orange or the white or the black or the gray. But I'm not wearing gloves or anything, right? He didn't. You never know about some bacteria from Mars or something. The next day you wake up and your arm's ate off or something.

"No, it's an honor. It's pretty cool that he thought of us. The views must be unbelievable up there."

Showalter mentioned that pitcher Mike Wright stopped on his way home last night to change a flat tire for a stranded motorist on Conway St. I wonder if he gets a save.

Double-A Bowie first baseman Trey Mancini was a finalist for USA Today's Minor League Player of the Year, but he lost out to left-hander Blake Snell, a top prospect for the Rays.

For the Red Sox
Mookie Betts CF
Josh Rutledge 2B
Xander Bogaerts SS
David Ortiz DH
Travis Shaw 1B
Pablo Sandoval 3B
Rusney Castillo LF
Blake Swihart C
Jackie Bradley Jr. RF

Eduardo Rodriguez LHP