After trading away their last three, the Orioles seem closer than they've been in years to using their competitive balance pick in this year's draft.

Last year, the Orioles cycled through minor leaguers and trolled the waiver wire for left-handed depth, but it was a problem that didn't really go away. This year, however, the club believes its yearlong plan to rebuild its depleted stock of southpaws will bear fruit.

Former top Orioles draft pick Brian Matusz is on the move again.

Orioles re-sign reliever Logan Ondrusek

Continually searching for left-handed relief help, the Orioles added veteran Tom Gorzelanny this weekend.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta said he recommended Brian Matusz to the Cubs front office.

Former Orioles left-handed reliever Brian Matusz was back home in Arizona on Wednesday contemplating the next step in his baseball career.

Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz' release came as a relief to him, teammate Zach Britton and manager Buck Showalter said.

The Orioles traded left-handed reliever Brian Matusz to the Atlanta Braves, the Orioles announced on Monday.

Orioles left-hander T.J. McFarland had an MRI on his injured left knee in Baltimore on Sunday, and manager Buck Showalter said the result ¿looks pretty good.

With left-hander Brian Matusz struggling at the major league level, there are three lefties with major league experience in the Norfolk bullpen pitching well this year. Andy Oliver struck out four in three scoreless innings of relief Thursday to lower his ERA to 1.01 with 27 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings. Zach Phillips entered Friday with a 2.95 ERA in 18 1/3 innings, and Edgar Olmos went into the weekend with 25 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings.

This week's series against the Seattle Mariners afforded left-handed reliever Brian Matusz an opportunity to overcome his early season struggles.

The first game of the three-game series between the first-place Orioles and the Seattle Mariners turned out to be anything but a classic showdown.

Left-hander Brian Matusz could see plenty of work this week against the Mariners after a long layoff in a slow season.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he is 'trying to trust' reliever Brian Matusz despite bad outings early.

Orioles observations on Ryan Flaherty, Pedro Alvarez and Brian Matusz

The Orioles avoided sending T.J. McFarland back to the minors, instead opting to immediately place right-hander Yovani Gallardo — who left Friday's game after just two innings — on the DL with right bicep tendinitis.

T.J. McFarland¿s five shutout inning relief outing in the Orioles¿ 4-2 loss to the Royals on Friday night preserved the team¿s bullpen.

Orioles rookie right-hander Tyler Wilson, who has pitched well in a long-relief role this season, will make his first start of the season Saturday against the Kansas City Royals. The move will allow the club to cover itself with long relief bullpen help and still activate two pitchers coming off the disabled list -- left-handed reliever Brian Matusz on Saturday and right-hander Kevin Gausman to start Monday.

Making his second minor league rehabilitation start, right-hander Kevin Gausman lasted just 3 1/3 innings Friday night pitching for High-A Frederick.

Left-handed reliever Brian Matusz will make at least one more rehabilitation outing.

With pitching staff shining, Orioles have decisions looming and no easy answers

Saturday¿s frigid weather was a factor in J.J. Hardy and Adam Jones being out of the Orioles lineup for the second and third straight night, respectively.

Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz, who has made just two appearances this spring because of a lingering back strain, said he planned to play catch Friday for the first time since a cortisone shot earlier this week but didn¿t know how soon he could return to games.

One of the Orioles' offseason priorities was improving the club's left-handed relief depth, especially given the prospect of fielding an all right-handed rotation. And now, less than two weeks before the regular season begins, Brian Matusz's nagging back injury has left the Orioles devoid of situational left-handed relief options, and the club is scrambling for bullpen help.

Suddenly in need of a left-handed reliever with Brian Matusz's status for Opening Day uncertain, the Orioles have signed left-handed reliever Zach Phillips to a major league deal.

Orioles left-handed reliever Brian Matusz received a cortisone injection in his lower back following his one-inning Grapefruit League outing Sunday and might not be ready to return in time for the beginning of the regular season.

Orioles designated hitter/outfielder Jimmy Paredes, who has missed the past two weeks with a sprained left wrist, hopes to take dry swings by the end of this week.

The Orioles received good news on outfielder Jimmy Paredes on Wednesday, learning that his sprained left wrist did not have a hairline fracture as had been feared.

The Orioles lose a second left-handed reliever to injury; Brian Matusz hurt his back earlier in spring training.

Brian Matusz said that doctors have told him he might be able to throw again in one or two weeks.

Pregame notes for Friday's game between the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays

Left-handed reliever Brian Matusz is out indefinitely with a lower back injury he suffered during his first spring training appearance Wednesday.

The Orioles agreed to one-year contracts for 2016 with star third baseman Manny Machado, starters Chris Tillman and Miguel Gonzalez, and infielder Ryan Flaherty ahead of Friday¿s deadline to exchange salary-arbitration figures, according to industry sources.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said the club was comparing some of the organization's current arms Tuesday to what could be available in Thursday's Rule 5 draft.

He's been a reliever for the last three years, but could Brian Matusz become a starter if the Orioles can't add a lefty to replace Wei-Yin Chen

Left-handed reliever Brian Matusz said his recovery from October surgery on his non-throwing shoulder is on schedule and he has resumed his normal offseason activity.

Orioles reliever Brian Matusz had successful arthroscopic surgery on his right non-throwing shoulder on Monday and expects to have a normal offseason and be ready for spring training in 2016.

The Orioles (56-54) have dropped three games behind the Angels (59-51) for the second American League wild card and remain five games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East. The Orioles head to Seattle for the last leg of their three-city West Coast swing with a 3-3 record on this trip.

Keep in mind Buck Showalter once ordered an intentional walk to Barry Bonds with the bases loaded, so the decision on Sunday to walk Mike Trout and Albert Pujols to load the bases with two outs in the 11th inning shouldn't have shocked anyone. That doesn't mean I agree with it.

Manager Buck Showalter said the eighth inning, in which Brian Matusz didn't retire a batter and Chaz Roe came into the game, hurt in Texas' two-run ninth inning.

Wanting to make sure Sunday¿s bullpen is covered, even with lefty Brian Matusz returning from an eight-game suspension, the Orioles demoted reliever T.J. McFarland to Triple-A Norfolk and recalled right-hander Tyler Wilson.

Brian Matusz says he hopes to 'pick up the slack' Sunday.

Miguel Gonzalez injured his right groin while pitching in the fifth inning. He hopes it is a minor setback.

Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez left Tuesday's game against the Red Sox with a groin strain.

Left-handed reliever Brian Matusz's eight-game suspension for having an alleged "foreign substance" on his right forearm was upheld Friday, according to an industry source.

The Orioles made a flurry of roster moves before Friday's series opener against the Indians because lefty Brian Matusz's eight-game suspension was upheld.

Left-hander Brian Matusz's suspension appeal was heard Wednesday morning in a conference room at Minute Maid Park. During the one-hour hearing, Matusz appealed the eight-game ban handed down from Major League Baseball for allegedly having a "foreign substance" on his right forearm in the 12th inning of the Orioles' May 23 contest against the Miami Marlins.

HOUSTON ¿ The Orioles made a roster move before Wednesday¿s game to replenish their bullpen, recalling left-hander T.J. McFarland from Triple-A Norfolk and optioning right-hander Oliver Drake back to Norfolk.