ARLINGTON, Texas — As the Orioles prepared to play in Texas for their makeup game against the Rangers on Monday night, manager Buck Showalter had little clarity regarding who would fill the team's empty rotation spot Wednesday against the San Diego Padres at Camden Yards.

Whether the Orioles will fill the spot with a pitcher currently throwing out of the bullpen or summon an arm from the minor leagues remains unclear. And in Showalter's eyes, too many things still must play out before making that decision.

Showalter needs to get the club to Thursday's day off. Monday was a day off before it became the makeup date for the rainout on April 17. The suspension of third baseman Manny Machado — the team is without him through Wednesday — further complicates the situation because the Orioles have to play one man down at 24 players.

“We'll wait until the smoke clears on Monday and Tuesday,” Showalter said before Monday's game. “Like yesterday, we're going to do what we have to do to try to win a game and then see where we are at the end of the day. You try to be as proactive as you can, but this is such a moving target. These are the challenges you face with a suspended player, playing at 24. It's a challenge.

“Obviously, we lost a great player, but it also creates a lot of things you can't do during a game,” Showalter added. “It's definitely a penalty, especially when you lose a position player, but it affects your pitching staff, too.

Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, who was demoted to the bullpen last week, is an option, but not if he has to be used in long relief before Wednesday. Jimenez is 7-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 13 career appearances against the Padres, all with the Rockies under National League rules and none since 2011.

Right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne, who is stretched out after pitching in the Triple-A Norfolk rotation before he was called up last week, pitched 12/3 innings Sunday.

Norfolk right-hander Joe Gunkel was a consideration, but he pitched Sunday, allowing two runs on three hits over five innings.

Right-hander Jason Garcia is pitching well at Double-A Bowie — he is 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA over his past last three starts, holding opponents to a .183 average — and is scheduled to start Wednesday, so he could be an option.

Asked if Orioles reliever Dylan Bundy would be a possibility, Showalter said “everybody is in play.” Bundy, who hadn't pitched more than 22/3 innings or thrown more than 51 pitches in an outing this season, went three no-hit innings Monday night with three strikeouts after not pitching since Wednesday.

“I wouldn't handicap it,” Showalter said, “Really, I've tried to. I'm not withholding something that's going to happen. It's kind of like, [executive vice president Dan Duquette] and I said today, ‘Let's see where we are when the smoke clears.' We have options and we're taking precautions to make sure people are available.”

Harvey to throw bullpen session: Orioles pitching prospect Hunter Harvey will make a significant step in his recovery from sports hernia surgery in early May when he throws his first live batting practice session today at the team's spring training facility in Sarasota, Fla.

Harvey, the Orioles' first-round draft pick in 2013, hasn't pitched in an affiliated game since July 2014.

He had surgery on his groin on May 3, and at the time, the Orioles hoped he could return by July 1 so he could salvage at least two months of the minor league season.

Around the horn: Players who didn't travel with the team to Texas participated in a workout on Monday at Camden Yards. The three other starting pitchers were among those who stayed back, and included in their practice were bunting drills in preparation for upcoming interleague road series in San Diego and Los Angeles. … Norfolk reliever Oliver Drake was named International League Pitcher of the Week on Monday. Drake was 4-for-4 on save opportunities during the week and held opponents to a .077 batting average (1-for-13) with 10 strikeouts and one walk. Drake has made 14 straight appearances without allowing an earned run. … When Chris Davis, Matt Wieters and Jonathan Schoop combined for eight runs, 10 hits and eight RBIs on Sunday's win, it marked the first time the Orioles' 4-5-6 hitters combined for those numbers since Albert Belle, Will Clark and Cal Ripken Jr. combined for 13 hits, 12 runs and 12 RBIs in a 22-1 win over Atlanta on June 13, 1999.

eencina@baltsun.com

twitter.com/EddieInTheYard