Yacabonis emerges as Thursday starter candidate (O's lose 3-2)

Right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis has been scratched from tonight's start at Triple-A Norfolk and replaced by reliever Joely Rodriguez. Yacabonis is in play to start Thursday for the Orioles. It would be his first rotation assignment in the majors after 16 relief appearances.

The Orioles are converting Yacabonis to a starter this year, and he's gone 3-2 with a 3.14 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 13 games with the Tides. Opponents are batting .205 against him.

Yacabonis had a stretch of six starts when he allowed four earned runs over 28 1/3 innings, but he was charged with three earned runs in 3 1/3 innings in his last outing, in Indianapolis.

Manager Buck Showalter said earlier that the organization didn't want to disrupt Yacabonis and Yefry Ramirez and preferred to keep them at Norfolk. However, Dylan Bundy was placed on the 10-day disabled list today with a sprained left ankle and a starter is needed for Thursday.

Ramirez threw 6 1/3 innings on Sunday and would be working on short rest, which makes Yacabonis the more desirable candidate. But the Orioles will need proper bullpen coverage behind him.

Reliever Donnie Hart was recalled today and again gives the Orioles a third left-hander in the bullpen.

Bundy sustained the injury Saturday while running the bases in Atlanta. He tested the ankle early this afternoon - it was heavily wrapped - and couldn't avoid the disabled list.

"He went out and threw on flat ground and it's just not ... he's still got, anybody who's turned ankle, some black and blue down there underneath," Showalter said. "It's getting there. It's the landing foot. He rolled it coming around third base in Atlanta in this stuff called interleague games.

"In order to bring a pitcher back that's been sent out, you can't backdate his DL, but we're not sure that he'll make the 4th, and it also would fall on a National League game that he would be hitting in again. I'm hoping that he'll be a pitcher for us on the 6th."

Bundy would face the Twins in Minnesota instead of the Phillies in Philadelphia.

"I feel confident that he'll make the 6th," Showalter said. "Another part of that is giving him the benefit of two work days. The 4th, we couldn't commit to that being for sure, and when I saw that was a Philadelphia National League game that he'd have to hit in, it was a pretty easy decision.

"It's unfortunate that you have to take that into consideration. It seems like every year we get some fallout, shrapnel from something in a National League game. I was hoping we'd get through it this year."

Showalter eliminated the possibility of left-hander Keegan Akin having his contract selected from Double-A Bowie, though he's convinced that the former second-round pick has the stuff to pitch in the big leagues.

"We'll decide on Thursday's starter," Showalter said before Yacabonis was scratched at Norfolk. "We've already looked at preparing for a couple options we have, as you can probably figure out."

The other possibility was using a reliever, either Miguel Castro or Mike Wright Jr.

"Those are all still options, but we've got to get through tonight's game and tomorrow's game," Showalter said. "We had to use a lot of people in the 'pen, some not self-inflicted, so I want to make sure we are able to physically keep people out of harm's way and get through these games and compete in these games, and we'll see what's standing when we get to Thursday."

Showalter gave brief consideration to Chris Tillman, who made his second rehab start last night and allowed two runs and four hits in the first inning at Single-A Delmarva before settling down and getting through 3 1/3. Tillman returned to Camden Yards this afternoon and joined Bundy on the field.

"Last 2 1/3 innings were pretty good. First one, it took him a while to get going. Will be kind of interesting to see how he does in his next outing in Norfolk. I'm hoping he takes a leap there into a little more consistent outing.

"Chris needs to get it going. He knows it. I looked at the calendar on him as far as a starter for Thursday, but he definitely needs to pitch down there and show us more."

Update: Yacabonis confirmed to The Virginian-Pilot that he's headed to Baltimore.

Update II: Danny Valencia led off the second inning with a home run to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead. It came on a full count.

Update III: Kyle Seager led off the fourth with a home run off Kevin Gausman to tie the game 1-1.

Update IV: The Orioles loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth and Caleb Joseph scored on Manny Machado's double play grounder for a 2-1 lead. Machado jogged up the line and heard some boos.

Update V: Seager's two-run single off Tanner Scott in the eighth gave Seattle a 3-2 lead. Scott replaced Darren O'Day, who left with an apparent leg injury, sustained while trying to field Jean Segura's bunt.

Final: Mariners 3, Orioles 2.