Chen pain-free in latest rehab outing in Double-A

BOWIE, Md. -- Wei-Yin Chen made his first rehab start since pulling his oblique May 12 in Minnesota. In what could be his final outing before returning to the Orioles, the lefty pitched well Saturday for Double-A Bowie except for a four-run fourth.

He finished with five innings, five hits, five strikeouts and two walks. All four of his earned runs came in the fourth.

"I felt pretty good today. Everything works," Chen said through his interpreter, Tim Lin. "Just in the fourth inning, that was a big inning for me, but definitely I just tried to work something out here so not a big problem for me."

Chen said he was pain-free in the outing, but was unable to throw his breaking ball over for a strike, and that led to problems in the fourth.

"In the fourth inning, I was trying to throw a breaking ball to get a first-pitch strike, but that didn't work. So I was behind all the time, so that's why I threw fastballs and they all hit the fastball," Chen said.

He said he hasn't talked with Orioles manager Buck Showalter yet to know if his next start will be in the Minor Leagues or with the Orioles.

"To me, personally, I'm ready to go. I think I can make the next start. But that's Buck's call, we have to talk to Buck first and make the decision. Right now, [I'll] just get ready and prepare for the next start," Chen said.

Orioles bullpen coach Billy Castro was in Bowie to watch Chen pitch.