SARASOTA, Fla. - Closer Zach Britton has been scratched from Wednesday's intrasquad game with symptoms of a possible left oblique injury, according to manager Buck Showalter. Showalter said the move is being made for precautionary reasons and suggested that Britton could pitch if the Orioles had started the regular season. They're not taking any chances with him in February. Britton was supposed to pitch in the same group as starter Wade Miley, Dylan Bundy, Mychal Givens and Jed Bradley....

SARASOTA, Fla. - Closer Zach Britton has been scratched from Wednesday's intrasquad game with symptoms of a possible left oblique injury, according to manager Buck Showalter.

Showalter said the move is being made for precautionary reasons and suggested that Britton could pitch if the Orioles had started the regular season. They're not taking any chances with him in February.

Britton was supposed to pitch in the same group as starter Wade Miley, Dylan Bundy, Mychal Givens and Jed Bradley. Logan Ondrusek already was scratched because of an ankle injury.

With rain in the forecast, the game may be pushed to 11 a.m. Thursday.

Britton should be able to provide more details in the morning. He already left the complex before the media reentered the clubhouse.

Tyler Wilson will start Friday's exhibition opener against the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla., and Gabriel Ynoa will start Saturday's game against the Pirates in Bradendon.

Pitchers Vidal Nuño and Richard Bleier and outfielder Michael Bourn will report to camp on Wednesday.

Bourn stays in the organization after agreeing yesterday to a minor league deal. He also keeps his uniform No. 1.

"Mike is quality," Showalter said. "I don't even call him an extra outfielder. This is a guy who played meaningful games for us last year and really responded and had some big executions. Improved us defensively. And he's a professional. He's a guy who's going to come in here and compete for a job. That's a good addition for us."

Showalter was waiting to speak with Christian Walker after the Orioles designated the former fourth-round pick for assignment today to create a spot for Bleier on the 40-man roster. Executive vice president Dan Duquette already had informed Walker of the club's decision.

Walker was supposed to play first base in today's intrasquad game, which ended after six innings in a scoreless tie.

"Who knows, in a few days he could be back with us," Showalter said. "I'll talk to him. It's tough, but it's got a chance to work out well for him. Until we get to that point, I'm not going to start acting like he's gone, because he's not yet."

Bleier has two minor league options remaining, giving the Orioles more flexibility.

"We had a lot of good reports on him and some people that really like him," Showalter said. "Added a pitch last year that really, you could see his numbers against left-handed hitters last year in a short sampling in the big leagues. And some things he did in Scranton. Some people who saw him thought he would be worthy of a ... And the options were very attractive, too. And just another maneuverability piece that we've been challenged with in the past."

The camp roster remains at 55 players. The Orioles have made four moves in the last four days. Heads are spinning.

"Because of the offseason and the WBC and because of a little different landscape with the free agents, as you can tell with the number of people out there, we knew. That's why we came in here so low with our numbers. One of the reasons," Showalter said.

"We knew there were going to be a lot of additions once we got down here as soon as people started looking around and seeing how many chairs there were. And also, it allows us by being low to present that opportunity that we try to out-opportunity other people because they look around and ... Chris Johnson had some options and he looked around and saw Manny (Machado) wasn't going to be here and he's going to get a lot of at-bats. (Robert) Andino the same way, and (Johnny) Giavotella. They all had options and because of the opportunity we were going to show them ...

"If we don't take them, you look at the at-bats and the people who are going to see them down here, this bodes well for them. Stay tuned. Tomorrow's another day."

Much of the camp buzz today centered on catcher Matt Wieters' two-year deal with the Nationals, officially ending his tenure with the Orioles, who made him the fifth pick in the 2007 draft out of Georgia Tech.

"I talked with him a few days back. I texted with him. Maria and him and Maverick and their new son," Showalter said.

"The only thing he said to me is that this is really weird being home this time of year. Your baseball clock is such. On a personal level, I'm glad that he's settled in some place. They'll be happy with him. He'll do well for them. I'm glad that Matt doesn't have that unknown hanging around him and his family. There's a lot more going on in his life than baseball.

"Don't think I don't think about it. I remember the first time I sat down with Matt in Baltimore when I got there. I knew kind of what was going on there with him. First-round pick, bonus, all the other stuff that had been talked about. I was talking to Matt. I got you. I need you to take the governor's off a little bit.

"Matt's not the kind of guy who's going to walk in like a peacock and spread his feathers. I just wanted him to be what he became. I was trying to shorten that. He would have. I just wanted him to know that I had it, and I wanted him to go ... It was a great conversation. He took the ball and ran with it. From that standpoint, it's kind of tough.

"Everybody's still kind of looks around waiting to see him again. He was such an integral part of our organization for such a long time. That's the game that we work in. It's tough. He's got to do what's best for him and we have to make the adjustments."

Caleb Joseph may be impacted the most by Wieters' departure, and not only from a professional standpoint. They had become close friends.

"It was tough," Joseph said. "They say that all good things come to an end and I guess until it becomes official you hold out hope that he'd be an Oriole. I guess it's new beginnings for both of us. The good thing is he's going to be right down the street. He'll be playing on MASN2. maybe.

"Matt's a great human first and foremost. I think that's the best compliment you can give somebody over the fact that he is such a tremendous baseball player. He's a great defensive catcher. He's a leader. He's a middle-of-the-order switch-hitting guy with power, but more than that, he's a tremendous guy, and I think that's what I'm going to miss most. Just his influence on and off the field."

Wieters stayed on the market much longer than expected before agreeing to a two-year deal worth a reported $21 million and including an opt-out after 2017.

"I'm glad for him because players, they want to get to free agency and they want to get that security," Joseph said. "He was probably looking for a little bit more, but I'm happy for him and Maria that they can know for two years that they're going to be in the D.C. area."

Joseph referred to Wieters as "irreplaceable" when asked about the four-time All-Star's impact on him.

"He took me under his wing a couple years ago - actually more than a couple years ago - and taught me a lot of what I know," Joseph said. "Not only helped me get here but also stay here. But off the field, he's been even more. He's been a mentor, a friend, a guy to lean on.

"That's kind of the stuff you miss. People forget we develop relationships off the field. My wife is close to his wife. Our kids are close in age. It's those type of things that hurt the worst. You understand it's a business in baseball, but at the same time, it's not easy to say goodbye."