Showalter not worried about O's trade rumors

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Orioles had a different looking lineup for Friday's series opener against the Rays and manager Buck Showalter joked, "we've got 4 or 5 big trades that are going to happen any second now that's going to change that."

Certainly the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline has all of baseball buzzing, and Showalter was particularly amused about some of the rumors floating around about his club.

"I don't read anything or listen," Showalter said, adding that he laughed when he was told that the O's would be willing to trade prized young starter Kevin Gausman.

Showalter said Friday's newest rumor that Chris Davis could be headed to Pittsburgh was something that "would be news to him". As for the speculation that Davis and Wei-Yin Chen, both free agents at the end of the year, are guys the O's are trying to trade, Showalter said: "Dan [Duquette] has never even brought that up and he brings up anything and everything that might be out there, and he's never mentioned that."

The Orioles entered Friday's game 4 1/2 games back in the American League Wild Card, and Duquette said earlier in the week that regardless of what happens on this road trip the O's are looking to be buyers at the deadline.