Notes
Extra rest continuing to help Bundy
Tillman could be used to take his place Saturday; Hardy progressing
Bundy’s schedule is plotted through mid-September with an effort to keep his innings around 180, and after Bundy’s seven-inning, two-run effort in the Orioles’ 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night, Showalter wasn’t committed to Bundy’s current schedule, which would have him pitch Saturday in Oakland.
The Orioles’ plan with Bundy was focused on using days off to give him extra rest. He pitched the fifth game out of the All-Star break, then made his next start five days after the team’s most recent day off July 27. The Orioles don’t have another day off until next Aug. 17.
Showalter said Tuesday that he will wait until after Bundy’s workday to commit to his next outing, saying he could pluck demoted starter
“Right now it’s scheduled [on regular rest],” Showalter said. “The next adjustment in his schedule would be going into the off day [Aug.?17]. But if there’s something [pitching coach]
Bundy has pitched well with extra rest — he was pitching on five days of rest Monday — but Showalter said he didn’t want to say whether Bundy would get extra rest before his next start until the pitcher completed his workday later this week.
Bundy has a 4.69 ERA in 12 starts on regular four days of rest, a mark that goes down to 3.55 in 10 starts when he receives at one or more extra days of rest. Bundy has a 2.52 ERA in four starts on six or more days of rest.
“It’s been real surprising, his command, with the extra rest, but I think we’re far enough into the season,” Showalter said. “Every pitcher would like to get an extra day. … There’s some parts of the year where you really benefit from extra rest and there’s certain parts where it’s not beneficial. He got off to a pretty good start this year. I kind of like the way it’s been handled. It feels like he’s been getting stronger as we’ve moved forward. The challenge is keeping it that way, and not jeopardizing the success he’s having.”
Bundy struck out a career-high 10 without issuing a walk in Monday’s game, but Showalter was most impressed with the way Bundy controlled the running game, calling it a “real mature effort.”
Said Bundy: “Yeah, that is satisfying. Strikeouts are good. It got the pitch count up there at the end of the game, but the defense played good and they were catching everything hit out there.”
The Angels have a major league leading 99 stolen bases, but they didn’t take an extra base on Bundy.
“I tell our guys all the time in the minor leagues, you guys are trying hard to teach the changeup or the curveball or whatever, you’re doing it to stop a guy from going 90 feet,” Showalter said. “The game is played in 90-foot increments. … If we’re teaching you to throw a changeup to keep a guy from going 90 feet, why wouldn’t we hold runners well enough to keep them from going 90 feet. And Dylan has really embraced it. He changes his tempo. He does it very veteran-like.”
Hardy began playing light catch Monday and was scheduled to start taking dry swings before Tuesday night’s game in Anaheim. Barring any out-of-the-ordinary soreness in his wrist, Hardy should continue to begin doing more baseball activities as the road trip continues with the hopes of beginning a minor league rehabilitation assignment when the team returns from the West Coast.
“It’s really his hand and wrist and shoulder and getting everything back in shape,” Showalter said. “It’s going to take a little time.”
Hardy is eligible to return from the 60-day DL on Aug. 18, when the Orioles play their first game back at home, but it’s still unclear how many rehab games Hardy might need before he is ready to return.
Tillman last pitched Thursday, allowing seven runs — five earned — over two innings in a 7-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers. He threw just 64 pitches. Showalter said Tillman was available to pitch out of the bullpen starting Sunday, and considered using him in the Orioles’ 12-3 blowout win, but decided against it to keep him fresh going into the 10-day, 10-game road trip that began Monday in Anaheim. He wasn’t needed Monday because the bullpen had to account for only two innings —
“It’s not crystal-clear,” Showalter said. “The priority will always be to win the game and also to position ourselves to win the next game, and [that’s] whether we’re way ahead or way behind. But as the games dwindle, that next game is not quite as important as this game. … But it’s not like Chris can’t get people out in a close game. I think he might pleasantly surprised once he gets out there in a situation. Does that mean he needs to pitch today or tomorrow? I’m not going to experiment with something we don’t know yet.”