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Worth noting

• Pedro Strop is unlikely to pitch before Saturday, as the Orioles are tasked with slowing down the reliever, who is fresh off a World Baseball Classic title with the Dominican Republic. Strop threw 6 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, allowing three hits and striking out seven, during the Dominican's undefeated tournament run, which ended Tuesday with a 3-0 win against Puerto Rico.

Bullpen coach Billy Castro, who served as the Dominican Republic's pitching coach, will also rejoin the team.

• Chris Tillman will make his next appearance in an actual Grapefruit League after battling abdominal soreness, although manager Buck Showalter couldn't remember exactly when he would go. Saturday or Sunday are two good guesses after Tillman threw three innings at Baltimore's Minor League complex Tuesday and felt fine afterward.

• Jason Hammel and Wei-Yin Chen, who will start Saturday against the Phillies, will throw in a pair of Minor League games next week. With the team scheduled for Grapefruit League action at night, Hammel and Chen will throw in the afternoon and avoid facing American League East opponents New York and Tampa Bay.

Brittany Ghiroli is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, Britt's Bird Watch, and follow her on Twitter @britt_ghiroli.
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