Orioles Activate Machado, Patton Off Suspension
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Left-handed reliever Troy Patton returned from his 25-game suspension Thursday, part of a roster shuffle by the Baltimore Orioles that included the activation of Manny Machado from the 15-day disabled list.
Patton was placed on the restricted list testing positive for a banned amphetamine. Patton took Adderall, a drug commonly used to combat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, late in the 2013 season and then was given a random drug test.
The suspension cost him $174,180 of his $1,275,000 salary.
Patton went 2-0 with a 3.70 ERA in a career-high 56 appearances for the Orioles last year. He made four rehab appearances with Triple-A Norfolk.
To make room for Patton, the Orioles sent reliever Josh Stinson outright to Norfolk.
Machado hadn't played since left knee surgery on Oct. 14. The third baseman was not in the lineup for the first game of a doubleheader against Pittsburgh on Thursday, but manager Buck Showalter said Machado would start in the nightcap.
Machado was poised to return Tuesday, but rain postponed Baltimore's game against the Pirates. The same thing happened Wednesday, creating the need for a single-admission doubleheader.
"Manny wasn't going to play 18 innings first day back from rehab," Showalter said. "We could have waited to activate him, but we would use him in the first game if the right situation presented itself."
Machado, 21, takes the roster spot vacated by first baseman Chris Davis, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a strained left oblique.
Davis had a platelet rich plasma injection on Monday.
"What they do is they draw your own blood and spin it, then they take the platelets and inject them back into your body," Davis said. "It's supposed to speed up the healing process and take the place of a cortisone shot."
Davis believes the treatment was having the desired effect.
"I had (the shot) on Monday. It was pretty painful," he said. "Tuesday I was sore and Wednesday I was sore. Today I feel better. Hopefully I am recovering and it will heal."
Davis led the majors last year with 53 homers and 138 RBIs. He's gotten off to a slow start this season -- he has only two home runs -- but hopes to return soon to add to the total.
"I got off to my hottest start ever last year so there was a lot of excitement," he said. "I knew it was probably not going to happen again. But I felt like I was getting good at-bats and making things happen."
Also Thursday, the Orioles optioned infielder Steve Lombardozzi to Norfolk to make room for first baseman Steve Pearce, who was signed to a major league contract Tuesday after being designated for assignment last week.
Lombardozzi batted .292 in 19 games this season.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
