Triple A

The Orioles have outrighted outfielder Steve Pearce to Triple-A Norfolk, the team announced today. Pearce spent two separate stints with the Orioles last season, hitting .254/.321/.437 in 28 games with the big league club. He also spent time with the Houston Astros and New York Yankees last season. The Orioles signed Pearce to a major-league contract just before last month's deadline to tender contracts to arbitration eligible players. So the move could be an indicator that the Orioles need Pearce's 40-man roster spot to make an upcoming move.

I ran into Jim Callis and John Manuel, the editors of Baseball America, a few minutes ago. The duo knows minor league baseball and its players as well as anybody, so I asked them about T.J. McFarland, the 23-year-old left-handed pitcher that the Orioles just selected in the Rule 5 draft from the Cleveland Indians. McFarland, a sinkerball/slider pitcher who throws his fastball in the high 80s, went 16-8 with a 4.03 ERA in 27 combined starts at Double-A and Triple-A in the Indians' system in 2012.

The Orioles optioned right-hander Jake Arrieta back to Triple-A Norfolk following Monday's 4-3 win over the White Sox to make room on the 25-man roster for newly acquired left-hander Joe Saunders, who joined the team during the game Monday. Arrieta could return after Norfolk's season ends Sept. 3 to join the team's expanded roster. He will start for the Tides in a game over the next three days, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. Arrieta, who was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on July 5 after going 3-9 with a 6.13 ERA in 18 starts, was recalled on Sunday essentially to take the bullpen spot of Matt Lindstrom, who was dealt to Arizona for Saunders.

The Orioles brass had discussed the possibility of moving left-hander Brian Matusz to the bullpen for several days, but after left-handed reliever Troy Patton went on the disabled list with a sprined right ankle , the organization is in need of a left-handed reliever who has the capability of throwing multiple innings. Orioles manager Buck Showater said before Tuesday's series opener against the Red Sox that the Orioles are moving toward experimenting with making the 25-year-old Matusz a reliever.

Following the Orioles' 5-3 win over the Royals on Sunday afternoon, the club optioned right-handed reliever Miguel Socolovich to Triple-A Norfolk. Socolovich has a 6.97 ERA in 10 1/3 relief innings with the Orioles. He allowed three hits and one earned runs in two outings over 3 1/3 innings since his most-recent call up Wednesday, which came after the Orioles bullpen was taxed by a 14-inning game Tuesday. The Orioles will likely recall right-hander Jason Berken, who will be used out of the bullpen in long relief behind a left-handed starter.

The Orioles are going for their fourth straight win tonight against the Mariners here at Camden Yards. Left hander Zach Britton (1-1, 8.35 ERA) hopes to rebound from his worst outing of the season. He lasted just 2 2/3 innings and allowed 7 runs and 7 hits in a 12-3 loss to the Yankees in the Bronx on Wednesday. “He's pitched well at times, and I have confidence that he will tonight,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “He's not walling around in self pity. I can tell you that.

Two Orioles game day employees stood by a whiteboard that listed the lineups for Sunday's game against the Oakland A's, their eyes slowly scrolling down the nine names. They commented on catcher Matt Wieters' return to the starting lineup, among other things. Then their eyes stopped at the fifth name, crinkling at the sight of a name they didn't recognize. The man on the left says, “Who's Ford?” The man on the right shrugs his shoulders, and says, “Not sure.” At least for Sunday, he's the Orioles new starting left fielder, and it makes sense that not many people recognize his name, at least not yet.   The 35-year old Ford was originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 12 th round of the 1999 draft, but he hasn't played a game in the major leagues since 2007, when he hit .233 as a member of the Minnesota Twins.

The Orioles sent reliever Miguel Socolovich back down to Triple-A Norfolk two days after they called him up to Baltimore after Saturday's 6-1 loss. The club didn't announce a corresponding roster move, but the team could use another bat off the bench. With designated hitter Jim Thome out of the lineup with neck spasms and catcher Matt Wieters slowed down by a tight right bicep, the Orioles had just one available bench player in Saturday's game. Wieters said before the game that he could pinch hit in an emergency situation, but the club is hesitant to rush him. Socolovich pitched in both Friday and Saturday's games.

While the Orioles brass is exploring options to improve the club through the trade market, executive vice president Dan Duquette has repeatedly said he likes some of the options he has down at the minor league level. So as the second-half of the season gets underway, we're taking a look at the reinforcements down on the farm. Here are five players from Triple-A Norfolk you could see brought up to help the Orioles through the stretch run.   LHP Zach Britton: This one's automatic. The Orioles need a fifth starter to pitch Tuesday's game against the Twins in Minnesota and all signs point to Britton being that guy. Britton is coming off his best minor league start of the season Thursday, when he threw seven shutout innings and allowed just four hits while striking out six. The Orioles have been able to go with a four-man rotation for the past few weeks because of a bevy of off days, but they open the second half with 30 games in 31 days, so they'll need a fifth starter for the long haul.

The Orioles announced Thursday night that outfielder Xavier Avery has been sent down to Triple-A Norfolk. Although they have not announced a corresponding move, left fielder Endy Chavez, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, is expected to come off the disabled list Friday. The Orioles don't want the 22-year-old Avery, who has hit .233 with a .317 on-base percentage in 24 games in three stints with the club, to be a fourth outfielder in the majors. They'd rather have him play every day. Steve Pearce and Chris Davis likely will serve as reserve outfielders.