Davis likely out until after All-Star break

Wright’s shoulder bursitis delaying transition to relief

Even though has a history dealing with oblique injuries, which he said helped him distinguish the injury earlier this time around, the Orioles first baseman still can’t pinpoint how long he might be sidelined with a right oblique strain.

Meanwhile, the Orioles are preparing to be without Davis until after the All-Star break.

Speaking for the first time since landing on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday, Davis said Saturday that he’s feeling better but is still dealing with pain that has made it difficult to move and sleep. For now, he said he will have to wait about a week to 10 days for the inflammation and swelling to subside before resuming any baseball activities.

“I was basically told it’s sensitive,” Davis said. “It’s one of those things you don’t want to rush because if you have a setback, it makes things that much harder. But right now, just kind of taking it day by day. Obviously, really frustrated and especially with the way things are going. I’ll be sitting on the bench not really able to do anything except cheer and encourage guys. It’s a pretty awful feeling.

“[It’s] just kind of a touch-andfeel thing right now. … There’s not really much you can do for it. There’s not really much you can do to protect against it. It’s just one of those mysteries, I guess. Obviously, had the left oblique injury a few years ago. I don’t feel like this is as severe, but it takes so much time to get the swelling down, the inflammation out and then you can get to a point where you can try to do any kind of work.” Orioles manager

said that expecting Davis back within the next three weeks before the All-Star break, which begins on July 10, would be “real ambitious.”

“I’d sign up for that right now, but who knows,” Showalter said. “It was Grade 1, so he had it before on the other side. We’ll see. I’d love to see that was the case. These things are so hard to get a grip on. I’ve seen them when you try to test them at a certain period of time and it’s not that you re-injure them, but you definitely bring it into play more.” Transition interrupted: Orioles right-hander recovery from right shoulder bursitis will likely keep him out beyond the date he is eligible to return from the DL. But more important than a speedy return might be how the club keeps him healthy in his transition from starter to reliever.

It’s not to say that the 27-yearold Wright, who has pitched most of his professional career as a starter, can’t still be groomed as a rotation piece. But the purpose of his most recent call-up was to have him pitch in a relief role beyond providing length, separating him from most optionable pitchers riding the Triple-A Norfolk shuttle.

After being recalled from Norfolk on May 31, Wright was immediately thrown into back-toback outings — the second time he has done so as a pro. He was then used every third day before receiving an extra day of rest before his most recent outing, when he threw two scoreless innings in a 27-pitch outing before complaining of right shoulder discomfort.

Wright received a cortisone injection Friday and the shot will keep him inactive for three days before he can resume any baseball activities. While Wright was optimistic that he’d be able to return when he’s eligible to be activated June 25, Showalter said that would be “a bit of a push.” Showalter said Wright could be sent to the club’s spring training complex in Sarasota, Fla., to rehabilitate his injury. Around the horn: Right-handed reliever threw off flat ground for a second time before Saturday’s game and is scheduled to throw off a mound Monday. … Utility man

is continuing to extend his throwing program in terms of length of throws and repetition while rehabbing his shoulder injury in Sarasota, Showalter said. Flaherty is also hitting off a tee and doing soft-toss hitting . ... The Orioles’ back-to-back homers by

and in the first inning Saturday marked the fifth time the Orioles hit back-to-back homers this season. … extended his season-high hitting streak to eight games with his two-run double in the second inning. He is hitting .339 (19-for-56) with nine extrabase hits (five doubles, four homers) and 13 RBIs in June. … Trumbo’s 2-for-5 day gave him his 24th multihit game of the season.