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Following Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Boston Red Sox, Orioles manager Buck Showalter revealed right-hander Jake Arrieta will take the hill in place of scheduled starter Jason Hammel Monday night against the Detroit Tigers.
Hammel has been dealing with a stomach virus since late least week and was even instructed to stay away from Camden Yards on Friday and Saturday. The 30-year-old hopes to start Tuesday, but his strength was zapped after the illness required him to receive intravenous fluids over the weekend.
Recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Friday to act as a fresh arm in the bullpen, Arrieta didn’t pitch over the weekend and will make the start Monday because Norfolk lefty Zach Britton remains on call to pitch on Tuesday if Hammel needs more time to recover. Either he or lefty reliever T.J. McFarland would be options if the latter doesn’t need to be used in long relief in the series opener against the Tigers.
Right-hander Kevin Gausman also remains on the radar as Miguel Gonzalez will be placed on the paternity list as soon as his wife goes into labor. Her due date falls on Wednesday and there has been some talk that she could be induced if labor doesn’t begin by then, but the Orioles are obviously respecting the family’s privacy by not wanting to divulge too much information.
Arrieta has struggled mightily in recent weeks for the Tides, allowing 15 runs and 19 hits in 10 1/3 innings over his last two starts. He owns a 3-3 mark with a 5.50 earned run average in seven appearances at the Triple-A level.
Of course, the 27-year-old began the season in the Orioles’ starting rotation but went 1-1 with a 6.63 ERA in four starts and was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk in late April.
