SARASOTA, FLA. —Yovani Gallardo refuses to pay much attention to his unsightly spring training numbers. Even after turning in one of the ugliest performances by an Orioles starting pitcher this spring in Saturday's Grapefruit League game, the veteran right-hander is confident the results will be there once the regular season begins.

Gallardo's 16.88 ERA in Grapefruit League play is alarming, but the veteran right-hander says he has never been a good spring training pitcher. Even last year, he posted a 10.13 ERA during spring training and still posted a 13-11 record with a 3.42?ERA for the Texas Rangers, recording his seventh straight season of at least 30 starts and 180 innings.

“Not only last year, you can look at every spring training I've had throughout my career. … They've been bad,” said Gallardo, who has a career 4.92 spring ERA. “It's a good thing they don't count.”

So maybe that noticeable drop in fastball velocity and his lingering command problems are just products of Gallardo's process, and once the Orioles head north, he will morph into the reliable starting pitcher the Orioles hoped they were getting when they invested $22 million in him over the next two seasons.

On Saturday, however, Gallardo was roughed up by a Boston Red Sox lineup that included just two projected Opening Day starters, allowing seven runs on eight hits while failing to get out of the fourth inning. He allowed 11 base runners — eight hits and three walks — in 32/3 innings.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter expressed faith in Gallardo, saying former Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin told him this offseason to ignore Gallardo's spring trainings. Gallardo was drafted by the Brewers in 2004 and spent his first eight seasons with them.

“That's something Doug told me, ‘Just close your eyes,'?” Showalter said. “He said it's something you've just got to go through. Every day we pick up the box scores and guys are giving up seven, eight, nine runs.”

Gallardo has allowed 15 earned runs in eight innings this spring.

Walker optioned to play left:Christian Walker was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday to be the Tides' everyday left fielder, Showalter said.

With a glut of first basemen on the major league roster, the organization sees left field as a way to get Walker's powerful right-handed bat into the lineup on a more regular basis, and his minor league work will help that along.

“It's motivational,” Walker said. “I feel like anytime something like this happens, it's for an opportunity. You can't obviously predict the future ... but I'm just going to work on picking it up as quick as I can.”

Walker has played left field in just two Grapefruit League games, but he gives the team depth at a position of question entering the season. He had a strong start to his spring but finished batting .227/.245/.636 with four home runs and 14 RBIs.

Showalter said Walker, the organization's minor league Player of the Year in 2014, didn't just open eyes this spring but kept them open.

“Christian's got a track record, and I thought he was more centered,” Showalter said. “He can do this.”

Wieters to catch intrasquad game:Matt Wieters threw to bases on the practice fields behind Ed Smith Stadium on Saturday and will catch an intrasquad game today in minor league camp at Twin Lakes Park, Showalter said.

About returning to catching major league games, Wieters said, “We're moving toward it quickly.”

The soreness that caused him to leave the March 12 game has subsided and the elbow feels almost as good as it did before the injury, Wieters said.

Gausman throwing delayed: Right-hander Kevin Gausman said his right shoulder tendinitis has “gotten better every day” since a cortisone shot last Sunday, but he might have been too hopeful to think he could have played catch Friday.

Instead, he received more treatment on the shoulder and did strengthening exercises Friday and Saturday, and could throw today or Monday. Showalter said it's “still a possibility” for Gausman to make his first turn through the rotation April 10.

Around the horn: Reliever Dale Thayer opted out of his minor league contract on Saturday, according to an industry source. ... Shortstop Paul Janish had an upward mobility clause in his minor league deal that triggered Saturday. The clause forces the Orioles to offer Janish an Opening Day major league roster spot or make him available to the other 29 major league clubs. If another team is willing to give Janish a 25-man roster spot, the Orioles must send Janish to that team. … Jack Collins, 14, of Joppa was the guest public address announcer at Ed Smith Stadium for Saturday's game. He won the honor during an auction benefiting Stand Up to Cancer this winter.

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