(Updated: Sunday 11:45 a.m.)
BALTIMORE — Adam Jones was out of the lineup for a second straight day as the Orioles prepared to play the series finale against Tampa Bay on Sunday.
The center fielder turned his left ankle sliding into home plate in Game 2 of Thursday’s doubleheader with the Chicago White Sox. Jones did not leave that game and went 0-for-4 in Friday’s win over Tampa Bay, but Buck Showalter gave the 29-year-old his first day off of the 2015 season on Saturday afternoon.
The manager revealed that an X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging exam revealed only a mild sprain of Jones’ ankle, adding that he’s considered “day to day.” Jones was missing from the lineup for a second straight day on Sunday — the first time he hadn’t started consecutive games since September 2011 — but Showalter said the ankle was improving and the Orioles are not considering the 15-day disabled list as a possibility at this time.
“He woke up this morning sore [with] a little swelling. I kind of take it out of his hands,” Showalter said on Saturday. “I’m not saying he couldn’t ‘Kirk Gibson’ sometime today, but I’ve been looking for a spot to give him a day anyway. He’s one of those guys that you just don’t ask. You just have to do it, so today’s the day.”
Jones is hitting .304 with six home runs, 26 RBIs, and an .800 on-base plus slugging percentage, but the right-hander has struggled in the month of May, batting .239 with one homer and a .556 OPS. The four-time All-Star selection is just 7-for-41 with no extra-base hits over his last 10 games.
David Lough has started in center field in Jones’ place.
For good reason, the Orioles are optimistic that Jones will not be out of the lineup for long since he only missed a total of five games over the previous three seasons. Appearing in 159 games last year, Jones did not sit out any contests until September when the club was already assured of its first American League East championship since 1997. The last game that Jones missed for the Orioles fell on Sept. 26 in Toronto.
Just because Showalter appreciates Jones’ durability doesn’t mean the Baltimore skipper wasn’t assuming that he’d be ready to play after only one day off.
“I’m not going to be that assured of it [or] cavalier about it,” Showalter said. “We’ll see what [Sunday] brings. Short turnaround today. Anytime Adam even admits to a little soreness, you can probably multiply it times two. Adam plays a very physical game, which lends more credence to how remarkable his availability is. You get to know players and if he even brings something up, you know it’s something you should pay attention to.”
NOTES: Still on the 15-day disabled list after a bout of bronchitis, right-hander Bud Norris will make a final rehab start at Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday. Showalter said again on Saturday that the plan is for Norris to rejoin the starting rotation when he’s activated, but “things change from day-to-day according to the needs of our club.” Baltimore will not use a six-man rotation to accommodate both Norris and rookie Mike Wright as starters. … Showalter said Rule 5 pick Jason Garcia is progressing well from right shoulder tendinitis as he continues to work out in Sarasota. The right-handed relief pitcher was placed on the DL retroactive to May 11. … With Friday’s win over the Rays, Showalter passed Hall of Famer Whitey Herzog for sole possession of 35th place on the all-time managerial wins list with 1,282. The 2-1 walk-off victory was also Showalter’s 400th as manager of the Orioles. … After refusing an outright to Triple-A Norfolk and electing free agency, catcher Ryan Lavarnway has signed a minor-league deal with the Atlanta Braves.
