Hardy, Roe move closer to returning to O's

ARLINGTON -- Shortstop J.J. Hardy was with the team in Texas on Friday, joining reliever Chaz Roe as the two rehabbing Orioles move closer to a return.

Hardy, sidelined with a strained left groin, received a platelet-rich-plasma injection in Baltimore earlier in the week and is doing light baseball activities for now. He will try to test things without doing too much and risking a setback. Running will be one of the biggest obstacles.

"Swinging the bat and running, anything that kind of involves pulling your leg in is what was affecting it," Hardy said. "So running and swinging, stuff like that, I think will be the ultimate test."

Roe (tendinitis in right shoulder) threw a simulate game prior to the Orioles-Rangers opener and said the plan is for him to throw in a rehab game on Monday. The team hasn't worked out the Minor League affiliate, but Roe is expected to finish an inning and then pitch another; the goal is for him to be activated on Wednesday.

"About 25 pitches, threw all the pitches, everything felt good," Roe said of Friday's sim game. "The slider is back to normal, and the sinker had good depth on it."