Orioles option Valencia to Triple-A Norfolk

CHICAGO -- The Orioles optioned Danny Valencia to Triple-A Norfolk to clear a roster spot for Wednesday's starter Scott Feldman.

The right-handed-hitting Valencia would have been useful with the Orioles about to face a bunch of lefty starters in a row, but Tuesday's activation of right-handed hitting outfielder Nolan Reimold made Valencia more dispensable.

"[It] could be short term," manager Buck Showalter said. "Nobody is going away. We like how Danny can help us. It's just where we were. At the time, it fit. Nolan and Brian [Roberts] have played one or two games. We wanted to cover ourselves with somebody who can play those two spots if there's any issues.

Valencia hit .230/.277/.508 with five doubles, four homers and eight RBIs in 21 games since being promoted from Triple-A, including a .282 mark against lefties.

Did he feel like he gave the Orioles a good idea of what he can do?

"I did and I didn't," Valencia said. "It's hard when you don't play sometimes for four or five days. It's definitely challenging. But I felt like I had some good at-bats. Recently, it's been tough to get some at-bats. But I guess that's part of being not an everyday player, being a guy that can come off the bench. So, it was tough."

The Orioles make a lot of roster moves and Valencia, who has 72 hours to report to Norfolk, will go down and try to do the same things that earned him his first promotion.

"I feel like I played well down there," said Valencia, who hit .306 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs in 40 Triple-A games. "So, I proved that I can be up here. But it's a numbers game, it's a business and I'll be ready whenever."