Corban Joseph gets major opportunity

Davis continues to search for answers; Beckham begins rehab

While struggling first baseman Chris Davis continues to look for a way out of his interminable slump, the Orioles are giving minor league journeyman Corban Joseph a chance to show what he can do at the major league level.

Joseph, the brother of catcher Caleb Joseph, was called up from Double-A Bowie as part of a flurry of roster moves Friday. He replaced pitcher Yefry Ramírez, who was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after making a spot start against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday. The Orioles also placed left-hander Richard Bleier on the disabled list with a torn lat muscle and recalled rookie left-hander Tanner Scott.

Manager Buck Showalter wasted no time getting Joseph into the mix, starting him at first base Friday night and putting him at the top of the batting order.

“He’s having a special kind of season for the most part,” Showalter said. “If you look at all the stats — on-base, strikeouts — all the things we’ve been challenged with here he was doing at that level. The guy’s been around a long time. He’s been in the big leagues before. He’s played first base, second base mostly.”

Joseph, 29, made his major league debut with the New York Yankees, appearing in two games in 2013. He said soon after his arrival in the Orioles clubhouse that he didn’t know if he would get back to the majors, but didn’t spend a lot of time dwelling on that.

“It’s been a while,” he said, “but I think it’s part of the game. The grind is what makes this game so special that you can have success in the game, and you might not be where you want to be — but as long as you keep on working hard and try to do your best.

“I really didn’t think about it much. I wasmorefocused onthe team in Bowie and trying to help the team win ballgames. That’s what it all comes down to, and just trying to control what I can control at the park.”

He was on an offensive roll with the Baysox. He played in 59 games and produced a .336/.394/.550 slash line with eight home runs and 34 RBIs. That might have come at the Double-A level, but Showalter isn’t discounting anything at this point in a season of scant offensive production from his major league hitters. Beckham begins rehab at Bowie: Orioles infielder Tim Beckham kicks off what will be a week-long rehabilitation assignment Friday with Bowie with a scheduled six innings at third base. Beckham is coming off core muscle surgery in late April that repaired some longstanding muscle problems he had played through.

Beckham, 28, is excited to get back on the field and to get into game shape ahead of the June 23 date when he is eligible to be activated from the 60-day DL.

“I definitely feel a lot better,” Beckham said Friday. “I feel a lot better as far as squatting down, my mobility going left to right. I’m not going to sit here and say I’m going to feel great, like 1,000 percent better and play. I’m going to do what I can when I’m on the baseball field, just like everyone else, and I’m going to go hard when I’m out there.”

In his first rehab game, he went 0-for-2 with a walk, a run scored and an error. Davis on new program: Davis was out of the lineup Friday and Showalter said he will stay there while he makes a refocused effort to figure out his problems at the plate. What that actually means is unclear.

Showalter seemed adamant Davis needed to concentrate on a single new approach after searching in circles for months, but when asked whether that could mean a lengthy absence from the lineup, the manager balked.

“I don’t think it’ll be that long,” Showalter said. “I hope it’s tomorrow. I hope it’s the day after tomorrow. I just know it’s not today and there is no closed end on it, but I’m hoping it’s sooner rather than later. I’d love to get back the Chris Davis we all know he’s capable of being. It hasn’t been there this year.” Around the horn: The Orioles have 13 interleague games left on their schedule, with nine straight starting Friday. They’ll play their second series at the Washington Nationals beginning Tuesday and then three games at the Atlanta Braves next weekend. … Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Friday that Camden Yards was his favorite visiting ballpark when he was a player. “That building out there, that skyline, the scenery, you see the ball good,” Mattingly said. “The fans are on top of you. Good energy here. I like it. Everything but the rain. It would rain all the time, and lots of it. When it rains, it pours.”