The Orioles added right-hander Parker Bridwell to the major league roster ahead of Sunday's series finale with the Houston Astros, marking the 25-year-old right-hander's first call-up to the majors.
"It's very exciting, to say the least," Bridwell said. "That's the best way I can explain it. No other words to describe it. A lot of emotions right now — excited. I've been waiting a while, and working my [whole] life for this. I'm pumped up."
Bridwell, who was added to the Orioles' 40-man roster last offseason to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 draft, has long been a tantalizing pitcher who only now is fulfilling his major league potential after a shift to the bullpen.
It was slow going early in his career, drafted out of high school in the ninth round in 2009 but not making it to High-A until 2014. He spent one year with Frederick in the Carolina League, going 7-10 with a 4.49 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 141 1/3 innings.
Last season in Bowie was his best as a professional, as Bridwell posted a career-low 3.99 ERA in 18 starts with 93 strikeouts in 97 innings before elbow soreness shut down his season. He wasn't backing that success up as a starter this year before suffering a freak broken rib while pitching in May, but he has shot up to the majors as a reliever, which has been his role since returning from the injury.
"It's been somewhat easy," Bridwell said of the transition. "I threw out of the pen in Arizona [Fall League], and they kind of told me when I'd be throwing. That was the only difference, and it's a big difference. But I kind of like just not knowing when I have to get ready and having a faster-paced tempo. I love it."
Before the injury, the strikeouts weren't really there for Bridwell this year — he had fanned 38 in 55 2/3 innings. Since going to the bullpen, he has 20 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings at Bowie and four in three innings in his only appearance in the Norfolk bullpen.
He has gone as long as three innings while relieving, and takes the spot of right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne in the bullpen. Despaigne was the second Orioles pitcher optioned this weekend, as they've needed 14 1/3 innings of relief over the last two games.
Manager Buck Showalter said Bridwell is "athletic" and his "pure stuff is good." He said the Orioles are still unsure whether he's a starter or reliever going forward, but he was their best option today.
"That was one of our few options," Showalter said. "Mike [Wright] had pitched the day before. Jason [Garcia] had pitched the night before. [Jayson] Aquino pitched last night to get through that game. [T.J.] McFarland's not quite there yet. … Bridwell had a really good three-inning stint, and now three days off. We had them back off of him last night. We were looking for a way to bring two, especially with the rain potential today, starting and stopping."
Showalter said he expects to have one of Vance Worley or Ubaldo Jimenez as additional cover for a short start by Yovani Gallardo or rain issues, and McFarland, who is rehabbing a knee injury, is being held until tomorrow unless they need to activate him.
He wouldn't compare how stretched their pitching staff was at the moment to points in the past, but said they're still able to do what they need to cover full games.
"There's a method that you have to follow, and you can't ever say, 'Well, let's roll the dice tonight,' " Showalter said. "It'll always just about always bite you. The health of your pitchers is paramount. I'm not going to say it's the most. A lot of them have been potentially stretched the most, but when you start talking about that and putting pressure on starters — they know the gig. Every one of them knows what a long start does for us."
Tillman heals quickly: Showalter said right-hander Chris Tillman, who walked five in two innings of six-run ball Saturday, felt no residuals of the shoulder discomfort that held him out of the rotation for a week.
"He said he actually felt better today than he normally does after a start," Showalter said. "That kind of verifies last night. That's good news today."
Showalter said it was rust, not injury, that led to Tillman's uncharacteristically poor command. Tillman also said Sunday that he felt better than normal.
Around the horn: Showalter said right-hander Darren O'Day, who has been on the disabled list since July 12, has "actually been doing better the last couple of days." … Showalter again praised the pitching effort of infielder Ryan Flaherty, saying he knew around the fifth inning that he'd need to go to a position player.