BALTIMORE -- The Orioles are prepared for a scenario in which first baseman Chris Davis is out until the second half of the season, with manager Buck Showalter saying Saturday that Davis' return in three weeks would be "real ambitious."
Davis, who was placed on the disabled list on Wednesday with a right oblique strain, is hoping to be pain-free when he hits the seven-to-10-day range. There's no definitive timeline for him right now, though the infielder -- who had a left oblique strain in 2014 -- knows that this kind of injury is pesky and easy to re-aggravate.
"It's one of those things you don't want to rush, because if you have a setback, it makes things that much harder," Davis said Saturday. "But right now just kind of taking it day by day. Obviously, really frustrated, and especially with the way things are going [with the team]. I'll be sitting on the bench not really able to do anything except cheer and encourage guys. It's a pretty awful feeling."
Davis said he thinks the injury came about from a stressful run of games leading into Tuesday's game in Chicago.
"I think it was probably just stress. We had a good stretch there where we were playing a lot of games, a lot of long games, a lot of grueling, strenuous games. And I think the competitor in me was really trying to probably do too much," Davis said. "Whether it was in between at-bats, in between games, in between innings. Whatever. Just trying to get going. And I just think it's one of those things where, like I said, there's really not much you can do to protect it or strengthen it. It's just kind of in a vulnerable spot."
While Davis played through a hand injury for most of last year, he seemed to be committed to being more patient and trying to avoid having nagging injuries in June.
"With this one, you're either completely fine or you're not," Showalter said. "There's not in between with this type of thing. You can swing and you feel nothing, or it's sharp and biting. So with this injury, there's not a whole lot of in between. When it's right, it's right."
The Orioles also are expecting that Mike Wright will not return right when his 10 days are up. Wright, who is on the DL with right shoulder bursitis, has dealt with the issue before and it's possible pitching in relief exacerbated the issue.
"The thing is, when you start, obviously you are going to be sore the first day and maybe the second day a little sore. But you have four days to recover," said Wright, who pitched back-to-back games in relief. "So, by the time I made my start, I was feeling 100 percent."