Orioles third baseman Manny Machado leaves game with right groin stiffness

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado exited Thursday's game after the 11th inning due to right groin stiffness, which he and manager Buck Showalter later said was a precautionary move.

Machado will be re-evaluated Friday, and he said he hopes to play.

"It wasn't too much of a pain, but toward the end of the game, it kept getting a little stiff," Machado said. "A precaution to get out [of the game], and see how it feels tomorrow, and hopefully get back in the lineup."

Showalter said he didn't like the way Machado was moving as the game progressed.

"I didn't like some of the body language he had moving around and everything, especially running down the line," Showalter said. "You get a feel for your players, and I didn't think he was moving well, and I kind of took it out of his hands. I thought it would be good to exercise a little caution there and see where we are tomorrow."

Machado, who didn't play for the Orioles until May 1 while rehabbing from left knee surgery in the offseason, said he would have played through the groin stiffness Thursday, but he felt like the smart decision was made. He first felt the discomfort while sliding into second base on a force out in the fourth inning.

"It was early on in the game on one of the slides. It popped up. And ever since then, it just popped up every inning," he said. "I don't feel it right now, just stiffness. I don't think there's nothing too crazy, but we will just have to wait and see how it feels tomorrow."

Machado was 1-for-6 with a run in the game, striking out in his final at-bat in the 11th. He did not return to the field in the top of the 12th.

Ryan Flaherty switched from second base to third, and Jonathan Schoop came into the game to play second base.

Machado, who said he has never dealt with groin issues in his career, is hitting .229 with one homer and three RBIs in 83 at-bats this season.

The Orioles hope they won't have to make a roster move involving their 21-year-old third baseman, but they likely will have another shake-up in the bullpen after playing extra innings.

Preston Guilmet, called up Thursday afternoon to replace the injured Tommy Hunter (strained left groin), threw 25 pitches and 2 1/3 perfect innings Thursday evening. He also pitched one inning (13 pitches) for Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday.

Right-hander Brad Brach was unavailable Thursday after pitching four innings (47 pitches) on Wednesday in Pittsburgh. He probably isn't eligible to pitch again until Saturday or Sunday.

So Showalter likely will call up another pitcher -- with Brach or Guilmet potentially getting sent back to Norfolk, since neither would have to pass through waivers.

Left-hander Troy Patton has allowed five runs in his past two outings, including getting the loss Thursday, and he now has an 8.10 ERA in nine outings since returning from suspension.

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But he is out of minor league options, so the club could not send him to the minors without exposing him to waivers. And he did have a streak of six scoreless appearances before giving up a three-run homer to Alex Gordon in Kansas City on Sunday.

"The last two outings have been a struggle. I felt real good when I first came back, threw a bad pitch, gave up a three-run homer last time out, and then obviously this," Patton said. "The last two outings have been a struggle, but other than that, I felt fine."

The way Showalter keeps a constant cycle of relievers rotating from the minors, though, it would be a surprise if there weren't one pitching move Friday.

"We'll see. It's not just us. A lot of people are having to do it," Showalter said. "But it's something we'll have to talk about here."

One possibility is left-hander T.J. McFarland, who is scheduled to start Friday for Norfolk, and would be on regular rest. He pitched out of the Orioles bullpen for most of last season.

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