Wright on his latest return to the Orioles (O's lead 10-3)

WASHINGTON - Mike Wright can litter a transaction page with the best of them.

Wright broke camp in the Orioles' rotation and was optioned on June 2 after nine starts, the last ending after the Red Sox ambushed him for six runs in 2 2/3 innings. He was needed the next day with reliever Darren O'Day going on the disabled list with a strained hamstring, but the Orioles optioned him again on June 17 after allowing eight runs to the Blue Jays in 3 2/3 innings.

Wright's final appearance with the Orioles came on July 8, the day he was recalled again from Triple-A Norfolk. He worked 4 2/3 relief innings against the Angels, allowing four runs (two earned) and was sent down after the game's final out.

This isn't unusual for Wright, who's gone back and forth with such frequency that he can find his way blindfolded.

The Orioles recalled him again this afternoon while placing Chris Tillman on the disabled list with bursitis in his right shoulder. Wright was told last night about his latest assignment. The bags, I assume, had been unpacked.

"Obviously, it's a good feeling to be back up here," he said.

"I've been down there for a while, but no matter what level you're at, that's where you're at and you're trying to compete and do well. It doesn't matter if it's there or here, you're trying to do well. And if you're competing, you're going to be all right."

Wright seems content with a bullpen role. Anything to stay in the majors.

"That's fine," he said. "I'm back here where we're making a push for the playoffs and it's an exciting time."

Wright is 3-4 with a 5.97 ERA and 1.471 WHIP in 14 games (12 starts) with the Orioles over 69 1/3 innings. He's 3-3 with a 3.17 ERA 1.133 WHIP in 11 starts with Norfolk over 65 1/3 innings. He's averaging 1.7 walks per nine innings with the Tides, compared to 3.4 with the Orioles.

"I felt really strong, really positive," he said. "Every outing felt like I was getting better."

Asked what he's done to find better results besides moving down, Wright said, "Same thing you always do every season. Just continue to try to execute as many pitches as you can every game."

Wright wanted another long reliever in the bullpen with Wade Miley and Ubaldo Jimenez starting the two games in D.C. He's reluctant to push Parker Bridwell, who's still transitioning from starter to reliever.

"It's a different role than (Wright) had before because he provided length and could fit the role that we needed because Parker hadn't pitched back-to-back much, so we have to be careful there," Showalter said.

"Parker comes in and pitches, two, three innings tonight we'd probably get somebody to replace him because we're not going to go without arms to protect everybody. We'll see when the smoke clears today what we're going to do tomorrow."

Perhaps Wright will get his first major league save, as Jimenez and Vance Worley have done this month.

Worley covered the final three innings last night, allowing one run in the Orioles' 8-1 win over the Nationals at Camden Yards.

"It felt good," he said. "The first inning was a little rough, but after that I settled down and made some pitches and closed it out.

"It's just another thing that I can say that I've done. This year, I've done every role now that I have a save. Excited to have it under my belt and just being able to contribute.

"I just wait on that call. I'm pretty much ready from the first pitch of the game. I know that at some point of that game I could get a call, whether it's early, middle of the game, end of the game. It depends on the score, how our other pitchers are doing, do they need a blow? I'm the guy they call on."

Worley, affectionately known as the "Vanimal," had no idea that his outing qualified as a save.

"No, I was just worried about making pitches and getting it over as quick as I could," he said.

"I heard the announcer say that I got my first major league save, so that was cool. I then asked Nolan (Reimold) for the ball and he says, 'I threw it in the stands.' And I said, 'Well, never mind. I didn't want that ball anyway.'"

Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky of Bethesda, who won five medals at the Summer Olympics in Rio, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before tonight's game. She wore the medals as she stepped on the mound and handed them one at a time to Bryce Harper, who placed them over his arms.

Update: The Orioles scored four runs off Tanner Roark in the first inning, sending nine batters to the plate and working him for 39 pitches. Trea Turner made a diving catch to rob Adam Jones or it would have been worse.

Manny Machado followed Hyun Soo Kim's single with a home run that Statcast measured at 452 feet. Chris Davis doubled, Mark Trumbo walked and Roark hit Jonathan Schoop and Matt Wieters to force in a run. J.J. Hardy's sacrifice fly completed the scoring.

Update II: Miley gave back a run in the bottom of the first on Anthony Rendon's two-out RBI single, but Daniel Murphy was an easy out at the plate to end the inning.

The Orioles scored in the top of the second to lead 5-1 after Rendon made two errors on one play - he let Jones' ground ball squirt through his legs and airmailed the throw to first, which allowed Jones to take second - and Machado singled for his third RBI of the night.

Update III: Danny Espinosa lined his 20th home run of the season to left field, reducing the lead to 5-2 in the fifth inning.

Update IV: Mychal Givens was charged with a run in the seventh on Daniel Murphy's RBI single off Donnie Hart, who proceeded to strike out Bryce Harper. And the Orioles broke open the game with five runs in the eighth off Blake Treinen, the last three on Matt Wieters' home run.

Machado has four RBIs and the Orioles lead 10-3.