Wondering where Tillman's rehab starts eventually lead him

MINNESOTA - The next step in Chris Tillman's injury rehab assignment takes him down to the Carolina League, his fourth level of the minors, while the Orioles figure out exactly what to do with him.

There doesn't appear, at least on the surface, to be a clear plan with Tillman beyond deciding the location of his starts. He's pitched for short-season Single-A Aberdeen, low Single-A Delmarva and Triple-A Norfolk. The Single-A Frederick Keys get a turn Tuesday night because they're home.

It's always possible that multiple members of the Orioles' rotation come down with injuries and those spots need to be filled, but otherwise, how does Tillman fit on a club with the worst record in baseball, one that is ready to strip away veterans?

He can't lift it out of last place. He'd be hard-pressed to go on the kind of roll that suddenly makes him a viable trade chip, something that the Orioles were trying to accomplish with outfielder Colby Rasmus before he left the club earlier this week and went on the restricted list.

The most obvious reason to bring Tillman back to the big club would be to get something in return for the organization's $3 million investment. The Orioles, remember, went the extra mile by giving Tillman a major league deal while other teams, including the Tigers, were contemplating minor league offers.

The Orioles aren't expected to move Dylan Bundy or Kevin Gausman at the non-waiver trade deadline, though there's at least some logic in considering the idea. They're committed to Alex Cobb after guaranteeing him $57 million over four years, the largest contract in club history for a free-agent pitcher. Andrew Cashner has one more year left on his two-year, $16 million deal.

The back end of the rotation has been occupied by David Hess and Yefry Ramirez, the latter getting another start in Monday's doubleheader against the Yankees. Jimmy Yacabonis, who's expected to join the club Monday, made his first major league start on June 28 against the Mariners.

Hunter Harvey eventually could show up in Baltimore if he recovers from a shoulder injury, stays healthy and forces the issue. Left-hander Keegan Akin, a second-round pick in 2016, is on the radar and drawing early consideration for the organization's minor league Pitcher of the Year award.

Winning remains important to the Orioles as a matter of pride, but they're also evaluating certain players because that's what you're supposed to do while 39 games below .500. Handed lemons, you either try to make lemonade or fire them at the head of the person who brought them.

Tillman is the proverbial square peg in the round hole, but the Orioles don't need to severe ties with him in early July. He isn't taking up valuable space on the 25-man roster. It's an injury rehab assignment. But what's the end game here?

The assignment will run its course and the Orioles will have to come up with a resolution. In the meantime, they look for any signs of progress. That his back isn't restricting him. That he can get outs, which eluded him in seven starts with the Orioles.

"(Thursday) night he looked much better," said Ramón Martinez, the Orioles' special assignment pitching instructor, who's been tracking Tillman's starts. "That was the best outing that I've seen in a while. More consistent in the strike zone. His velocity got better, it's getting better. The last inning he pitched, he looked better each time that he went out there."

Tillman's fastball was 89-91 mph and Martinez said the right-hander still was hitting 91 in his final inning. Not the heights reached during Tillman's most productive seasons, but again, the Orioles are searching for anything good.

And we're left to wonder what happens if they find it.