Machado sits out with stiff groin, but feels better
O's third baseman doesn't expect DL stint, hopeful he can return Saturday
BALTIMORE -- Orioles third baseman Manny Machado was not in Friday's starting lineup against the Indians, and he is considered day to day after exiting Thursday night's game after 11 innings with right groin stiffness.
Machado is expected to avoid the disabled list and said he felt a lot better on Friday, giving the 21-year-old some cautious optimism that he would return to the lineup Saturday afternoon.
"I can't give you an official answer, but we'll see. We'll know more tomorrow," Machado said. "Today, we're just going to keep treating it and hopefully it gets better tomorrow and hopefully I can be there. But right now, we're just taking it day by day and we'll see how it feels."
Machado did not take on-field batting practice and said he'd take Friday to let his body rest, while possibly just taking a few swings in the cages. He also said he doesn't feel the injury -- which first cropped up on a fourth-inning slide -- hitting or fielding, just the first step or two when running.
"Hopefully we got it in time, a lot like Chris' [Davis] thing," manager Buck Showalter said of Machado's injury, which he agreed doesn't look like it will lead to a DL stint.
Still, any injury with Machado is a concern, given that he missed the first month of the season rehabbing back from offseason knee surgery.
Asked if he was a little more cautious in assessing his young All-Star, Showalter said, "I think for Manny and everything he's done to get back to this point, to have a setback on the DL, we really want to try to stay away from that. Physically, for what it means for our club, as much as emotionally, mentally too."
Machado didn't mention the discomfort during the game, figuring he could play through it, but Showalter picked up on the third baseman's body language and took him out before the 12th inning started. Machado, who admitted the discomfort got progressively worse, agreed on Friday that it was the right decision to play it safe.
"At this point, we're not trying to go back out there and aggravate it and just make it worse," Machado said. "Hopefully, the next couple days it can get better and I can be back out there."