Ankle keeps Jones out of O's lineup for finale with Rays

BALTIMORE -- Orioles center fielder Adam Jones was not in Sunday's starting lineup for the second consecutive day with a sprained left ankle. Jones, who suffered the injury while sliding into home plate during Thursday's doubleheader nightcap against the White Sox, underwent an MRI in addition to an X-ray.

"Nothing structurally [with the ankle], in pretty good shape there," manager Buck Showalter said of the MRI results. "Just kind of verified what [head athletic trainer] Richie [Bancells] and the docs [thought]. [They'll] start treating it. Swelling has gone down. Not going to get into his availability today for competitive reasons, but I think he's close."

Showalter would prefer to have Jones return to the field, but said that using him as a designated hitter option in Houston is a possibility if it will allow the All-Star to return quicker.

"I haven't asked that, I haven't had the conversation, because with Adam you kind of have to take that out of play," Showalter said of Jones, who has made it no secret that he likes to play every day. "If he's not banging on the door early in the morning, you know there's something he's still dealing with there."