O's roster to welcome back Schoop, Gausman

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles have some tough roster decisions to make soon as they are expected to add both second baseman Jonathan Schoop and pitcher Kevin Gausman this week.

Schoop was with the team to work out in Baltimore on Monday, but he could be sent to Triple-A Norfolk to continue his rehab assignment, which would buy the team until Friday. Gausman will start Thursday's game against the Rangers, a roster crunch enhanced by the fact that the club currently has a six-man bullpen.

"I don't see a current scenario where [Gausman] would stay, but a lot can change, and he can help make that by pitching well," Showalter said of what happens after Thursday. "He can control it. We're going to keep the ball in his hand every fifth day as much as we can. He needs to pitch, pitch innings as much as next year is concerned and this year."

Video: BAL@TOR: Gausman tosses five strong innings for O's

Schoop will be a more permanent move, assuming he's healthy, and the O's are being cautious in bringing him back from a knee injury that has sidelined him since mid-April.

"Jon's benefiting from every day. If you went through the program, the work that [vice president, baseball operations] Brady [Anderson] and them do, every day that passes you get a chance to strengthen that area around there," Showalter said.

"There are certain things that aren't going to be completely the same, but he can have a long unaffected career if he does what he's supposed to do there. And I know he will, especially as long as Brady's around. If there was a pressing need, we could do it, but I think there's also something from talking to Brady and the doctors and the trainers to really benefit from every day that passes that he gets more work under his belt. There's one thing we were very adamant about was making sure he was 100 percent."