Mike Wright makes his return to the Orioles rotation, on regular rest despite a one-day demotion, and manager Buck Showalter hopes some of the discussions that came from that demotion are enough to turn Wright's season around.
"We had a great conversation with Mike before he left," Showalter said. "It's kind of like you step back, the pressure's off and whatever, and you think about all the things that are more clear to you, should've done, could've done. You say, 'Gosh, I wish I knew then what I knew now.' Well now, he's kind of got a do-over reprieve to do that.
Wright, who is 2-3 with a 5.88 ERA and has gone seven total innings over his last two starts, faces a Royals team that scored five runs in 6 1/3 innings off him earlier this season.
Showalter believes Kansas City's heavily right-handed lineup — there are only two lefties in Monday's lineup — will help Wright. Righties are batting .234/.305/.458 off him, while lefties are batting .369/.421/.607 against him this season.
His demotion was part of what executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette called an effort to stabilize the rotation, and an aspect of that is the pending return of Yovani Gallardo.
The veteran right-hander makes his second rehab start on his way back from right shoulder tendinitis Tuesday afternoon in Norfolk.
Showalter was asked if it would be his last minor-league start before a call-up.
"We'll see where the opposition lets him get to," Showalter said. "I think it'll be one or two more, this one or the other one. But you put him potentially against Toronto on the road [Sunday], or we could give him an extra day and start at home. Or he could go out somewhere and pitch somewhere on that Sunday, which would be another day game.
Showalter said the team's rotation needs "shouldn't" impact whether he returns sooner than otherwise planned.
"If I had a choice between being productive or being healthy [tomorrow], I'll take the healthy part."
Hardy fields ground balls: Showalter said shortstop J.J. Hardy (fractured left foot) fielded 25 ground balls hit right at him in Sarasota on Monday, but still won't return to the team until he resumes all baseball activities.
"As soon as he gets into full baseball activities, he will [come north]," Showalter said. "As soon as he gets where they're not only doing ground balls at him — he's taking dry swings now, a little tee work, and he's moving along towards that. Until he's ready to do everything, we'll leave him there."
Two Keys honored: Infielder Anderlin Rodriguez and right-hander Matthew Grimes, both of High-A Frederick, were honored as the Orioles minor league player and pitcher of the month for May, the team announced.
Rodriguez, 24, has a team-leading 10 home runs and hit .333/.385/.583 with five home runs and 18 RBIs in May. He spent 2015 in Double-A in the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners organizations, and signed as a minor league free agent with the Orioles in January.
Grimes, an 18th-round pick in 2013, is having the best statistical season in the Orioles' system for a pitcher. He went 5-1 with a 1.12 ERA in six May starts, and hasn't allowed a run in his last 28 innings. Grimes is 7-2 with a 1.08 ERA on the season.