Roberts leads list of O's on road to health

BALTIMORE -- Several members of the organization are ready to take the next step in the rehab process.

Perhaps most notably, second baseman Brian Roberts will join Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday, playing his first games since undergoing surgery on his hamstring earlier this season.

Roberts has been with the team for two weeks and has participated in such pregame workouts as batting practice and taking ground balls. But manager Buck Showalter said there's no simulation for game speed, so Roberts will likely play at least three games for the Tides.

"He really challenged himself physically in Toronto," Showalter said. "We sped the game up, but there's no substitute for game speed. And there'll be a different speed between Norfolk and here. He knows that, though. He's been down this road a few times."

Outfielder Nolan Reimold (hamstring) still needs more at-bats in his Minor League rehab assignment. He'll be with Double-A Bowie on Monday as it starts a four-game road series in Richmond, Va.

Lefty Wei-Yin Chen (oblique) threw four innings of a simulated game on Monday in Sarasota, Fla., and will be in Baltimore on Tuesday to take a work day with the team. After that he'll be sent for a Minor League rehab assignment that could be as short as one start.

"He'll take a work day here and let [pitching coach] Rick [Adair] and everybody here get their arms around how he is [physically]," Showalter said.

Chen is scheduled to pitch five innings in the Minors, and if all goes well, he may make just one start before rejoining the Orioles.

"You would then be bringing him back with the ability to go six or seven [innings]," Showalter said. "If he stays healthy, he could make as many as two starts before the All-Star break and as few as one. We'll see how Rick and everybody feels after his work day and, hopefully, his rehab start."