BALTIMORE - Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Miguel Gonzalez has had tremendous success the New York Yankees in his brief career. Tuesday, the 28-year-old right-hander will be activated from the 15-day disabled list to pitch against those Yankees.
Gonzalez has been on the DL with a blister on his right thumb. Orioles manager Buck Showalter has said it was worse than a regular blister, as there was also a callus and both came off leaving him with an area of rough skin.
Last season, Gonzalez was 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA in two starts against New York. In Game 3 of last year's American League Division Series, he pitched seven shutout inning against the Yankees but earned a no-decision.
In his only start against New York this season, April 12, Gonzalez gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits over six innings and was saddled with the loss.
In order to activate Gonzalez, Baltimore will have to make a corresponding roster move. Showalter said there are not currently lingering injuries that would require a DL move.
"We don't have anybody with something physically at this point that would lean that way," Showalter said. "At this point, it's a player move."
The Orioles currently have a four-man bench and an eight-man bullpen. The most recent call-up to the bullpen was former starter Jake Arrieta. Showalter confirmed it is not in the team's plans to give Arrieta a start.
HEADING OUT: Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen is leaving Tuesday to report to Sarasota, Fla. He is currently on the 15-day DL with a right oblique strain he suffered on May 12 in Minnesota.
Chen was 3-3 with a 3.04 ERA in eight starts this season.
Showalter said the injury is a Grade 2 strain, meaning it would still be difficult for Chen to throw in a week. Showalter added there is not much to update on Chen's status.
"I couldn't tell you he's making any great process. He's still sore," Showalter said. "There's just an unknown on it. The MRI did show what we were hoping it didn't."
NICE THREADS: In a SportsNation poll on ESPN.com, the Orioles' uniform was voted the best in baseball, with the final round coming to conclusion today. Baltimore, a No. 13 seed, upset the Cardinals, a No. 1, in the final round.
The Orioles won with 59 percent of the vote over St. Louis with nearly 150,000 people voting.
NOT EASY TO DO: Orioles second baseman Alexi Casilla entered Monday night's game batting .583 (14 for 24) in his career against Yankees starter CC Sabathia. He is tied with Manny Ramirez for the highest career average against Sabathia with 20 or more plate appearances.
SPEED DEMON: With a pair of stolen bases on Sunday, Adam Jones improved to 7 for 7 in stolen base attempts this season. Jones is the last Orioles to steal more than seven bases without being caught to start a season since Cesar Izturis stole nine straight to start the 2009 season.
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