MINNEAPOLIS -- The Orioles on Saturday reinstated right-hander Chris Tillman from the paternity list. To make room, the team designated infielder Paul Janish for assignment prior to the game with the Twins at Target Field.
Janish appeared in 14 games for Baltimore, collecting a pair of hits and three RBIs. With Triple-A Norfolk this year, the 34-year-old infielder hit .255 to go along with his two homers and 16 RBIs.
"Hopefully he will clear [waivers]," O's manager Buck Showalter said Saturday. "It's tough, somebody has to go. We had four or five options, and that was the one that was decided on."
Meanwhile, Tillman was originally scheduled to start Wednesday in Milwaukee, before he was placed on the paternity list that day. The veteran righty was a candidate to get the ball for game three of the four-game set, but the team elected to go with left-hander Wade Miley due to his schedule.
Tillman, 29, could still be an option out of the bullpen during the final two games of the series. Showalter would like Tillman to gain some momentum before the All-Star break after struggling for much of the first half of the season.
"We will try to give him a heads up," Showalter said. "Hopefully we don't have to use him today, but I would like to get him on the mound before the break. It's been a long week-plus. We will see."
In 11 starts, Tillman has posted a 1-5 record with a 7.90 ERA. The O's hurler has pitched less than six innings in all but one outing in the 2017 season. He's only recorded two starts in which he's allowed less than three runs in a game. Tillman made six starts in June, logging an 0-3 record with a 9.69 ERA.
Baltimore entered Saturday with a five-game losing streak and a season-worst six games below the .500 benchmark. The struggling club desperately needs the rotation to be stabilized, which has posted an American League-worst 5.79 ERA through the first 86 games of the season.
Worth noting
• Shortstop Ryan Flaherty has resumed throwing in Sarasota, Fla. He has been on the shelf with a right shoulder strain since May 21. Prior to the injury, Flaherty was batting .233 with a .324 on-base percentage in 13 games.
• Jonathan Schoop made his first Major League start at shortstop on Saturday, while Johnny Giavotella moved over to second base. Schoop appeared at short in the series opener in Minnesota for an inning, marking his first such appearances in his big league career.