Gonzalez available in 'pen after start skipped

BALTIMORE -- Miguel Gonzalez will have his turn in the rotation skipped, a move that O's manager Buck Showalter said is temporary as the club sorts through some things. Gonzalez was in line to start Thursday, but the O's decided to push back lefty Wei-Yin Chen. Gonzalez will be available in the bullpen the next few nights instead.

"We will wait to see [Chris] Tillman's side day," Showalter said. "He had a little groin tenderness. I think that's going to manage well, but I want to make sure we are covered for him and Bud [Norris]. If the league decides to do something [about Norris being ejected on Monday], want to make sure we are covered."

Gonzalez, who said he's happy as long as the team is winning, would clearly prefer to start and could be used in this weekend's Kansas City series given the uncertainty around Tillman and Norris. Showalter said he didn't want the right-hander to go on short rest on Wednesday, and the Royals hit right-handed starters much better than lefties.

Gonzalez is coming off one of his better outings of the season, going a season-high seven innings and holding Houston to two runs in a no-decision on Saturday.