Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said Thursday about Sano, "We have interest pending MLB's investigation."
The Pittsburgh Pirates and Minnesota Twins are believed to be the front-runners for Sano, and the Twins reportedly offered him a signing bonus of approximately $3 million. The Orioles have put a figure on what they believe Sano is worth, but MacPhail wouldn't offer any specifics.
MacPhail said the Orioles also have scouted left-handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman, a 21-year-old who defected from Cuba this week. They are interested but likely won't be involved in the bidding if his price tag is anywhere near the $30 million that is being reported.
Scott Moore sighting
Triple-A Norfolk third baseman Scott Moore, who lives about 15 minutes away from Angel Stadium, stopped by Thursday to meet with former teammates and team officials. Moore had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb, and he was hoping to rejoin the Tides next month. However, he acknowledged that it's not looking good and he might miss the rest of the season.
Moore will be a six-year minor league free agent after the season, so it's conceivable that he has played his last game with the organization.
"It's tough to get through, but I feel like if I could have played well and did my job when I got on the field, some good things can happen," he said.
"Instead of sitting at home and talking to you guys as a visitor in the clubhouse. It's tough, but it's happened and you have to move on. There's nothing I can do about it now."
Around the horn
Adam Jones returned to the lineup after missing Wednesday's game following his collision with the center-field wall Tuesday. ... Not that this should come as a surprise, but Trembley reiterated that Double-A Bowie left-hander Brian Matusz, one of the organization's top pitching prospects, will be shut down and sent home once the minor league season ends ... Norfolk pitchers Chris Tillman and Jim Miller will represent the International League in the Triple-A All-Star Game. ... The Orioles granted Bobby Livingston his release. The Baysox left-hander had a stipulation in his contract that he could become a free agent if he weren't in the majors by July 1. Livingston was 6-2 with a 3.62 ERA in 13 outings for Bowie.
