ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Ubaldo Jimenez pitched brilliantly on Monday, and he’s done well subbing for Chris Tillman while Tillman’s been on the disabled list.
Tillman is nearing a return, and with only 20 games remaining after he makes his scheduled start on Sunday, it seems natural to wonder whether manager Buck Showalter could contemplate using six starters.
In 2012, when the Orioles were also in a desperate push for a wild-card spot, Showalter regularly mixed and matched his starters down the stretch.
It also seems natural that Showalter could do the same this year. Besides Jimenez and Tillman, he has Yovani Gallardo, who started Tuesday; Dylan Bundy; Kevin Gausman; and Wade Miley.
“We’re going to take each day, each situation, each matchup and decide who our options are and who gives us our best chance to win that night,” Showalter said. "We haven’t had a surplus of starting pitching. We will look at it. ... It’s kind of like the lineup. See who’s pitching, see who they’re pitching, see where the matchups might fall and for it.’
NOTES: Showalter said that he didn’t know if Joey Rickard, who was rehabbing his injured right thumb in Sarasota, Fla., would meet the team in St. Petersburg. … Gausman will start the first game of the series in Detroit, and if his bullpen session goes well on Wednesday, Tillman will start Sunday. Showalter hasn’t yet selected a Saturday starter.