Pearce's stay on DL likely longer than 15 days

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles' Steve Pearce is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list on Aug. 3, but it's looking like he may need to wait a bit longer before returning to play.

The Baltimore utility man has been unable to take part in any baseball activity since being placed on the DL with a left oblique strain on Wednesday. Pearce cannot do any strengthening exercises, throwing or hitting with risk of reinjuring his oblique, and has been limited to rest and treatment.

"It's hard," Pearce said. "Especially being here around the guys, seeing guys hitting, preparing and getting ready. It's just frustrating that I don't get to be a part of it."

Pearce remains hopeful that he will be able to come off the DL a week from Monday, but even Orioles manager Buck Showalter doesn't think that's realistic.

"On paper, as far as experience and track record of that injury, no," Showalter said. "But who knows? I don't know how quick we caught it."

Showalter did say that Pearce would stay with the Orioles for at least two to three days before the team makes any decisions on him, and that he has made some progress since originally going on the DL. The oblique is a tricky injury, however, because there is really no way of testing it without risking further damage to the muscle.

"If you test it and you're wrong, you set yourself back another two weeks," Showalter said.

The manager also mentioned the difficulty that Pearce's absence makes in creating the lineup, as the utility man has made starts in right field (five starts), left field (12), second base (13) and first base (16) this season. Pearce was hitting .227/.290/.392 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs in 58 games this season.