Yacabonis could be joining Orioles on Monday (O's down 6-2)

MINNESOTA - David Hess will make his next start for Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday afternoon in Durham, the turn that belonged to Jimmy Yacabonis before today's roster maneuvering.

With Yacabonis no longer scheduled to take the mound, the Orioles have made him an option to join the club for Monday's doubleheader against the Yankees at Camden Yards. He could be the 26th player.

Hess was optioned today while Dylan Bundy came off the disabled list.

"David's going to start Sunday, get the ball back in his hand," said manager Buck Showalter. "He pitched a couple innings (Wednesday), so three days' rest is perfect for him with the off-day.

"I think David can get back working on some things in a little bit more relaxed situation. He knows what he needs to do. We had a good talk today. Really want him to continue working on the changeup and command of the fastball. I think he understands.

"There will be some pitches he makes down there and get away with. I was telling him about, 'Hold yourself to a high standard. You've got a pretty good feel now with - what, 10 appearances? - that you should have a pretty good feel for the difference."

Hess doesn't lack for confidence, though he isn't cocky about it. He feels that he belongs at the major league level and will work to get back to it - exactly what Showalter wanted to hear.

"That's good," Showalter said. "It would be different if he came up here and everything ... When all these young guys come up - I talked with (Ryan) Meisinger and talked with (Paul) Fry - you've got to trust yourself. Don't give this level too much credit. These guys make outs. It's just that mistakes go a long way. There's less margin for error. But if you get the ball where you're supposed to get it and in the right sequence, you're going to get outs. But don't go back to the hotel or after you're sent out thinking, 'Gosh, I wish I had been more aggressive or trusted ...'

"To get to where they got at that level, they've shown signs of being able to do this, so I think with all the guys, you've got to (say), 'OK, here's why I was successful and here's why I wasn't.' And be really honest with yourself."

Hess didn't shy away from challenging hitters. He was aggressive and tried to pound the strike zone rather than nibble, inflate his walk total and litter the bases.

"He's got the other part of it," Showalter said. "This guy likes to compete, David likes to compete. He ain't scared. 'Here's mine, see what you can do with it.' I love that part. And that sometimes is as hard to find as the other. He's not intimidated by the level and the competition. That part of it is really going to play in his favor."

Showalter noted how Yacabonis becomes a candidate to join the pitching staff for the doubleheader, but he added, "We've got a lot of options."

"A lot of it depends on how the next three days go, but Jimmy's an option, obviously," Showalter said. "But sometimes it's an option for the 26th man for the doubleheader as opposed to starting. And it could be somebody other than him. We'll see how the whole thing develops."

Chris Tillman will continue his rehab assignment by starting Tuesday at Single-A Frederick. He went six innings last night with Norfolk and allowed four runs.

The length of his start and the report that followed were better than his previous outings.

"If there's another one, it will be in Norfolk," Showalter said. "We've got it mapped out through the 18th if we have to, if we feel like we need to."

Ramón Martinez, the club's special assignment pitching instructor, has been following Tillman and reporting back to Showalter.

"He said it was better," Showalter said. "I think he's been at his last three outings and said each one's gotten a little better. Had a feel for all his pitches. I think two of (the hits) were infield hits, a couple were broken-bat hits. Those are the things you only get by being there instead of reading the stat sheet."

Tillman lowered his ERA to 8.40 with 14 earned runs and 23 hits in 15 innings. He's walked eight batters and struck out six.

"All his pitches were there," Showalter said. "I thought his command was better. I watched it today."

Update: The Orioles fell behind 3-0 in the first inning after the Twins collected four hits and Tim Beckham was charged with an error for his failure to glove Trey Mancini's throw from left field. Two of the runs were earned. Bundy threw 19 pitches.

Update II: Bundy lasted only 3 1/3 innings and was charged with five earned runs and six total. He allowed nine hits and was gone after 61 pitches, including 27 in a three-run fourth.

Max Kepler hit a two-run homer into the second deck in right field.

Update III: Chris Davis' single in the sixth inning scored Manny Machado and reduced the lead to 6-1. Paul Fry retired all seven batters he faced and struck out four.

Update IV: Caleb Joseph raced home on Logan Morrison's throwing error in the seventh to reduce the lead to 6-2. Beckham was thrown out at the plate trying to score on Machado's single.