Wells throws off mound again (and lineups)

Rule 5 reliever Tyler Wells pitched to outfielders Ryan McKenna and DJ Stewart this afternoon at Camden Yards in a live batting practice session.

The Orioles are deciding whether Wells is ready to be reinstated from the injured list. Soreness in his right wrist delayed his return after his last mound session.

Wells hasn't pitched for the Orioles since July 19 due to tendinitis in the wrist. He's the closer in waiting for a bullpen that needs a trustworthy option for manager Brandon Hyde.

The Orioles get a break tonight from division opponents with a three-game series against the Tigers at Camden Yards. The teams split a four-game set at Comerica Park July 29-Aug. 1.

The last three-game sweep for the Orioles against the Tigers in Baltimore came in 2004. The Tigers swept the Orioles here in May 2014.

Ubaldo Jiménez tossed seven scoreless innings with only three hits allowed in the middle game, but Tommy Hunter took the loss in relief.

Ramón Urías is batting second and playing second base. Jorge Mateo is the shortstop and Austin Wynns is catching.

Pedro Severino is nursing a sore knee.

Austin Hays is in left field and Anthony Santander is in right, with Stewart the designated hitter.

Left-hander Keegan Akin is back in the rotation and trying to lower a 7.66 ERA and 1.742 WHIP in 15 games. Tonight is his ninth start and first since July 16 in Kansas City.

Akin allowed two hits in one-third of an inning on Aug. 1 in Detroit.

Casey Mize, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, has a 3.57 ERA and 1.129 WHIP in 21 starts. He faced the Orioles on July 29 and allowed only an unearned run and four hits in seven innings.

Miguel Cabrera is two home runs away from 500. He's a career .348/.440/.659 hitter with 24 home runs in 339 plate appearances against the Orioles. He's hit 11 homers in 38 games at Camden Yards.

For the Orioles
Cedric Mullins CF
Ramón Urías 2B
Trey Mancini 1B
Anthony Santander RF
Austin Hays LF
DJ Stewart DH
Maikel Franco 3B
Jorge Mateo SS
Austin Wynns C

Keegan Akin LHP

For the Tigers
Robbie Grossman RF
Jonathan Schoop 1B
Miguel Cabrera DH
Jeimer Candelario 3B
Eric Haase C
Niko Goodrum SS
Willi Castro 2B
Akil Baddoo LF
Derek Hill CF

Casey Mize RHP

Infielder Terrin Vavra, who's been on the injured list at Double-A Bowie with a back strain since playing his last game on June 13, began a rehab assignment today in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League and went 2-for-3 for the orange team in Bradenton, Fla.

Vavra, the No. 10 prospect in the system per MLBPipeline.com, is batting .263/.413/.447 with seven doubles, a triple, four home runs and 17 RBIs in 143 plate appearances with Bowie.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias recently said that Vavra, 24, could return to the Baysox by the middle of August and later be assigned to a fall league.

First-round pick Colton Cowser went 2-for-3 with an RBI, two walks and a run scored. Second-rounder Connor Norby replaced Vavra and was 1-for-2 with a run scored.

The black team's game in Sarasota, Fla., was canceled again.

Outfielder Yusniel Diaz moved back up from Bowie to Triple-A Norfolk.