Showalter on Jiménez, today's pitching matchup

What did we learn yesterday about the Orioles' plans for Ubaldo Jiménez?

Not a whole lot beyond how they weren't going to release him less than 24 hours after his latest failed start. There's no way it was happening.

Skipping Jiménez without a replacement starter doesn't seem as likely after manager Buck Showalter said he wants to use Thursday's off-day to provide an extra day of rest for his rotation.

Ubaldo Jimenez Orange day.jpgJiménez is in line to take the mound Sunday in Houston. This isn't a written guarantee. It's simply his turn and Showalter made certain to remind the media during yesterday's pregame session.

The game notes on Wednesday should list the probables for the Astros series. Kevin Gausman and Wade Miley are going to cover the first two games if Showalter is keeping everyone in order.

And then we come to Sunday.

"We're going to put our best foot forward," Showalter said. "We've got some time to decide. We're kind of taking each day as it comes and see where ... Something could happen (last night) with a pitcher, something could happen (tonight) with a pitcher. You don't want to get too far ahead of yourself in making things that aren't best for the team as a whole. But I'll just say this: We're going to try to put our best foot forward and we'll see what happens when we get to a need there."

It's not exactly a vote of confidence for Jiménez, but he couldn't be expecting one after what's transpired. Showalter isn't eliminating Jiménez from consideration, at least publicly, and he isn't making any commitments.

That's 50 shades of grey area.

Jiménez is leaning on a strong support system inside the clubhouse. Teammates aren't tossing him under the bus. They won't do it with any struggling member of the staff, no matter how many big leads are lost.

"I know that the pitchers are going out there and giving it their all," center fielder Adam Jones said after Monday night's game. "For me to comment or try and talk bad about them would be out of my character. I'm not the one who's throwing the ball. They're out there grinding their tails off, and I just play defense behind them.

"However they go out there and grind it out, I'm just a guy out there behind them giving it all I've got, so I know it's frustrating for them. They don't want to go up there and allow hits after we put up some runs."

Showalter offers his theory of what makes players rally around their teammates during the bad times.

"Because everybody's been there," he said. "I don't care how good you are, this is the biggest stage in baseball with the best players and people don't care on the other teams if somebody's struggling. They're going to beat up on it.

"The support's always been there and he's handled the challenges very well, but we're in a business where you've got to figure out a way to rectify it and get it right."

Showalter preferred to focus on how the Orioles were going to beat Twins starter Ervin Santana, who tossed a two-hit shutout, and he noted that the day next wouldn't be a picnic, either. Right-hander José Berríos, who closes out the series for Minnesota, has allowed one run and four hits in 15 1/3 innings in his two starts.

"He's got as good of stuff as you're going to see, period," Showalter said.

Berríos has a 0.59 ERA and 0.391 WHIP, with two walks, 15 strikeouts and three hit batters. Right-handers are 0-for-18 and left-handers are 4-for-31.

Is this really the same guy who, as a rookie last year, was 3-7 with an 8.02 ERA and 1.869 WHIP in 14 starts over 58 1/3 innings?

It's a small sample size, but Berríos allowed one run and two hits over 7 2/3 innings in his 2017 debut in Cleveland and shut out the Rockies on two hits over 7 1/3 innings.

Berríos made a start against the Orioles last season and surrendered three runs and eight hits over five innings. Jones and Manny Machado hit home runs.

Chris Tillman made important strides in his last start, allowing three runs in six innings against the Blue Jays. He threw 91 pitches, compared to 93 over five innings in his debut and 105 in 4 1/3 innings in his next outing.

Tillman is facing the only American League team that's kept him winless in more than one career start. He doesn't have a decision in two outings against the Pirates.

In seven starts versus the Twins, Tillman has gone 0-4 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.600 WHIP over 30 innings. Jason Castro is 4-for-13 with three doubles, a home run and six RBIs. Joe Mauer is 3-for-13 with six strikeouts.

Dylan Bundy on his outing and Trey Mancini on Ervi...
Twins' Ervin Santana blanks O's on two hits in 2-0...