NEW YORK — Orioles setup man Darren O'Day, who is on the disabled list with a right hamstring strain, saw his first test against live hitters before Tuesday's game at Yankee Stadium.
O'Day threw a simulated game on the field, pitching to a group of Orioles hitters that included catcher Caleb Joseph, and outfielders Joey Rickard and Hyun Soo Kim.
O'Day's simulated outing drew quite a crowd considering it began three hours before the Orioles took batting practice, with manager Buck Showalter, head trainer Richie Bancells, other coaches and players watching.
The game also included O'Day coming off the mound to field his position, including running to cover the first base bag. After his outing, he finished the test by running in the outfield.
O'Day hasn't pitched since June 1 and his recovery has been slow. This is the furthest he has gotten in that process and Showalter didn't rule out the possibility of a return after one simulated outing.
Kim, who is also nursing a hamstring injury, tested his injury by not only taking live at-bats during O'Day's sim game but also did some running drills in the Yankee Stadium outfield, including sprints and jogging in reverse.
Showalter said Monday that the team would likely make a decision Tuesday on whether to place Kim on the DL. He hasn't played since July 10.
We will get a report on both players from Showalter before Tuesday's game against the Yankees.
eencina@baltsun.com
twitter.com/EddieInTheYard