Tillman pitches two innings in debut, believes he’s on track
Kim ‘a little bit relieved’ after his first spring hit
SARASOTA, FLA. — With two innings in a “B” game under his belt Thursday morning, and not much disruption to his throwing program despite a right hip flexor strain that had kept him out of games to this point, Orioles starter Chris Tillman believes he’s not at risk to miss the beginning of the regular season.
“I think I’ll still get four more, five more” outings, Tillman said. “I don’t feel I have much more catching up to do because I threw the whole time.”
Tillman said he felt good after throwing 31pitches — 18 for strikes — in two scoreless, one-hit innings of a victory (that doesn’t count in the spring standings) over a contingent from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He said he would talk with pitching coach Dave Wallace and bullpen coach Dom Chiti about his status.
“It’s kind of normal soreness,” Tillman said. “I feel really good in my delivery, and normal day-to-day activities like walking and working out and running and stuff is fine.”
“I think it should be OK,” manager Buck Showalter said. “All indications were pretty good, but we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
While Tillman was coming off an injury for his first spring game action, Kevin Gausman followed in the “B” game with three shutout innings to keep him away from a New York Yankees lineup that he’ll face several times over the course of the season.
“It’s a little bit different just because it is early, but I felt good,” Gausman said. “Threw some real good breaking balls for strikes and when I wanted them to chase. Left two pitches up and those were the two I gave up doubles on. Overall, I feel good and got my work in out of the stretch.” Kim breaks skid: Outfielder Hyun Soo Kim conceded that he was “a little bit relieved” after collecting his first spring training hit in 24 at-bats.
Kim, signed out of the Korean Baseball Organization to a two-year contract this season, was becoming an unwelcome storyline for the winless Orioles this spring training.
Showalter said after the game that “everybody was pulling for him.” Kim thought his teammates and coaches were even more excited than he was.
“They were cheering for my first hit,” Kim said through translator Danny Lee. “They loved what I did.”
Showalter drew an interesting parallel to a player who went through similar struggles after coming to the majors from South Korea last season — Pirates infielder Jung-ho Kang.
Kang didn’t start as slowly as Kim, but he endured a 1-for-24 stretch March 5-27 in spring training. Kang ended the season third in National League Rookie of the Year voting, hitting .287/.355/.461 with 15 home runs.
“I was talking to somebody with the Pirates, talking about Kang, how slow he started for them last spring,” Showalter said. “You need to keep it in mind, think about all the adjustments he’s going through.” Wilson works around early jam: Showalter said right-hander Tyler Wilson was his typical self in avoiding too much damage in the first of his three innings Thursday against the Yankees.
Wilson allowed two singles and a double to open the game, but held New York to two runs, then cruised through his next two innings.
“That’s kind of like Tyler,” Showalter said. “He was going to have a big inning, held it to two and came back and pitched a couple good innings. He had 29 pitches, ended up with [46]. Tyler’s a survivor.
“Getting out of that first inning is great in general, whether that would have been in the second or third inning or in the first inning,” Wilson said. “Obviously, it’s not how you draw it up to start a game — three straight hits — but that’s a byproduct of not executing two-strike pitches. I’ll take that and move forward.”
Through Thursday, Wilson has pitched a team-high six innings this spring, yielding four runs (three earned) on nine hits without a walk. Triggs released: To make room for first baseman Pedro Alvarez, the Orioles released reliever Andrew Triggs.
Acquired for cash last spring from the Kansas City Royals and added to the 40-man roster in November, Triggs allowed three home runs in an inning March 4 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
If he clears release waivers, he could return to the organization on a minor league deal. In 2013, when the team signed outfielder Nelson Cruz in free agency, it released left-hander Chris Jones, only to re-sign him to a minor league deal three days later. Around the horn: The Orioles are 0-9-2 and still searching for their first win. Their worst spring training record was 9-19 in 1988. That year’s team lost a franchise-record 107 games. … Showalter did not make any cuts from major league camp Thursday. … Left-hander Tanner Scott struck out the side while relying on a 97-98 mph fastball in a perfect eighth inning, while righthander Dylan Bundy allowed two runs in the fifth inning Thursday.