ANAHEIM — Chris Davis was diagnosed with right knee tendinosis and the Orioles remain optimistic that the first baseman will avoid the disabled list given the encouraging results from Saturday morning’s MRI.

“I thought if it was really serious obviously I wouldn’t have come out of that game and walked around here and talk to you guys [in the media] in a good mood,” said Davis, who left Friday night’s game in the fifth inning after suffering the injury running out a ground ball.

“It’s one of those things, going to the bag hard, felt some discomfort today still a little bit. Got the MRI back, everything’s intact. Nothing is wrong with the knee structurally, which is really good. My patella tendon [where the injury is] felt a lot better today, going up and down the stairs.”

Davis is considered day-to-day, and it’s unknown if the first baseman — who wasn’t in Saturday’s lineup — will play before the team returns to the East Coast on Sunday night. He will try to run on Sunday morning and given that the team’s has an off day Monday, Davis said his target right now is probably “a soft Tuesday”.

“We haven’t gotten anything negative to make us think that [the DL is a possibility] but, he hasn’t done anything on the field yet,” manager Buck Showalter said. “We’re letting it quiet down. We’ll see if he can play there tomorrow or not. There’s some temptation given the off day sitting there, a very rare off day in our case. We’ll see.

So, Davis could potentially play Sunday if he comes in and says everything is good?

“He said he was doing some things in the [training] room he probably shouldn’t have been doing and said he felt good last night,” Showalter said. “We can’t hit outside tomorrow. There’s a fine line between pushing it to see how it is and having a setback.”

Davis, an integral part of the team who is coming off an April in which he was named the American League Player of the Month, hasn’t had any prior injuries to his right knee and has been able to walk around the clubhouse without any issue. He has been getting regular treatment on the area and, according to executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette, the team’s doctors will look over Saturday’s MRI back in Baltimore on Monday.

“In all honesty, I would have loved to play today,” Davis said. “I don’t like missing games, obviously.”

Still, the 27-year-old had a pretty good seat in watching Steve Pearce –filling in at first base – collect the game-winning hit in the Orioles’ 5-4, 10-inning win.

“That spot right there. Put somebody at first, it’s looking good right now,” Davis said. “I’m happy for Pearce. It’s kind of the same thing we ran into last year. Guys got injured, other guys filled in and stepped up. I keep saying that’s the great thing about this team is nobody cares who gets the credit at the end of the day as long as we get the ‘W’. And we got the W. And I ate a lot of seeds.”

ANAHEIM– Orioles first baseman Chris Davis will likely avoid the disabled list, with encouraging results from Saturday morning’s MRI on his right knee.

“It doesn’t look like Chris Davis will go to the DL,” executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette told MLB.com over the phone. “[The Angels] doctors looked at the MRI and our doctors are going to be able to read the MRI on Monday, and the info I have is that Chris is feeling better than last night.”

Davis is considered day-to-day and it’s unknown if the first baseman—who wasn’t in Saturday’s lineup—will play before the team returns to the East Coast Sunday night. Although with an off day on Monday, the team could be cautious with Davis, an integral part of the team who is coming off an April in which he was named the American League Player of the Month.

Davis exited in the top of the fifth inning of Friday’s game after trying to beat out a groundout and walked gingerly back to the dugout, needing help to get down the stairs.

“My knee kind of buckled,” Davis, who landed awkwardly on the first-base bag while running full-bore down the line, said afterwards. “Felt a tingling in my foot, thought I could walk it off. Went down the stairs, tried to go down the stairs, couldn’t go down the stairs.”

Davis was in good spirits on Saturday morning, walking around the clubhouse without a limp and with his knee wrapped in ice.

“I think it’s just something that when I hit the bag I kind of veered to the right a little bit,” Davis said after watching the replay Friday night. “Lesson learned, go right through the bag. It sounds so elementary now. But, like I said, hopefully it will just be a few days.”

*Orioles first baseman Chris Davis had an MRI this morning and the team was still waiting for the results to be read. Manager Buck Showalter had an alternate lineup with Davis in it that won’t be used at this point. Davis was walking around on his leg in the clubhouse, with his knee wrapped and iced up, and was in good spirits, jokingly asking reporters if anyone knew how to read an MRI.

Steve Pearce is at first base today, with Ryan Flaherty –who entered the game last night for Davis– another option. Nick Markakis took some reps at first base this afternoon and could be used there as well.

*The Orioles have designated right-handed pitcher Zach Clark for assignment to clear a roster spot for today’s starter, Freddy Garcia. The move frees up at 40-man spot and the Orioles will know by Monday afternoon if Clark has cleared waivers, which is  a process that goes in the inverse order of the standings.

*Luis Exposito, who was designated for assignment earlier in the week, has cleared waivers and will report to Triple-A Norfolk.

ORIOLES LINEUP

Nate McLouth LF
Manny Machado 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Nolan Reimold DH
J.J. Hardy SS
Steve Pearce 1B
Ryan Flaherty 2B
Chris Snyder C

Freddy Garcia RHP

ANGELS LINEUP
Erick Aybar SS
Mike Trout CF
Albert Pujols 1B
Mark Trumbo RF
Alberto Callaspo 3B
Howie Kendrick 2B
Hank Conger DH
Chris Iannetta C
J.B. Shuck LF

Tommy Hanson RHP

ANAHEIM — Orioles first baseman Chris Davis left Friday night’s game against the Angels in the top of the fifth inning with a right knee injury and he will get an MRI on Saturday morning.

“My knee kind of buckled,” said Davis, who hit the first base bag funny while running full bore down the line trying to beat out a ground ball. “Felt a tingling in my foot, thought I could walk it off. Went down the stairs, tried to go down the stairs, couldn’t go down the stairs.

We’ll see how it goes [with the MRI tomorrow]. Everything was intact. No blows, no tears, no SARS. So, nothing like that. We will see how it is tomorrow. Hopefully I will feel better than I did tomorrow. Hopefully, it will just be a couple days.”

Davis, the reigning American League Player of the Month, walked gingerly to the dugout, and thought he could perhaps walk the injury off. But he couldn’t put any pressure on his right leg, hobbling down the steps and into the tunnel under the supervision of assistant athletic trainer Brian Ebel.

While there is still some unknown, any significant injury to the starting first baseman would be a serious hit to the Orioles. Davis, 27, entered the game batting .337 with nine homers and 29 RBIs. He finished April leading the league in slugging percentage (.728) and total bases (67) and was fourth with a .348 batting average and fifth with a .442 on-base percentage.

Asked about the potential of being sidelined for an extended period of time, Davis said:  “You know, I’m not going to think of it that way. I’m going to think of it as a little bump in the road. Like I said, it’ll just be a few days and get back out there.”

“Of course he is [upbeat about the injury],” manager Buck Showalter said. “I’m sharing his optimism, but it’s part of it. We lost some good players last year. We don’t have anything imminent. The doctor looked at it. I’m not going to play medical here until we can get our arms around the MRI, we’ll wait to pass judgment.

“Nobody feels sorry for us. I guarantee you, you go in that clubhouse, it’s part of this job description and playing 162 games, we have 132 games left, so we’ll have other things. Last thing the players are going to read from me is that. I look at it as an opportunity for us to bring some things we bring to offset some things. But Chris is a good player. We’d rather have him on the field.”

Davis, who has no history of right knee issues, was replaced by first baseman Ryan Flaherty and wearing a knee brace as he talked to reporters.

“I think it’s just something that when I hit the bag I kind of veered to the right a little bit,” Davis said after watching the replay. “Lesson learned, go right through the bag. It sounds so elementary now. But, like I said, hopefully it will just be a few days.”

*Orioles outfielder Nolan Reimold is getting the start tonight at leadoff for the first time this season, with manager Buck Showalter saying he feels like Reimold –who went 2-for-4 last night– is close to being in a good place offensively.

Nate McLouth is sitting with the lefty Jason Vargas on the field, with Steve Pearce serving at designated hitter.

*Tsuyoshi Wada will throw five innings in extended spring tomorrow and that could be his final outing down there before going on a Minor League rehab assignment.

*Brian Roberts continues to progress in baseball activities, running the foul poles today and throwing from 90 feet –which is up from 75– although there’s no timetable on his return.

*Freddy Garcia, tomorrow’s starter, is here and I’ll have more from him later.

ORIOLES LINEUP
Nolan Reimold LF
Manny Machado 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis 1B
Matt Wieters C
J.J. Hardy SS
Steve Pearce DH
Alexi Casilla 2B

Miguel Gonzalez RHP

ANGELS LINEUP

Erick Aybar SS
Mike Trout CF
Albert Pujols 1B
Mark Trumbo RF
Josh Hamilton DH
Howie Kendrick 2B
Alberto Callaspo 3B
Chris Ianetta C
J.B. Shuck LF

Jason Vargas LHP

Greetings from Anaheim, where the Orioles will take on the Angels tonight for the first of a four-game series to cap a three-city roadtrip. The O’s lost 8-3 in Seattle to take the series defeat and are 4-3 on the trip.

*Saturday’s starter will  be Triple-A Norfolk’s Freddy Garcia.

*In case you missed it, Chris Davis was named the American League Player of the Month for April and you can read more on that here.
ANGELS LINEUP
Erick Aybar SS
Mike Trout CF
Albert Pujols 1B
Mark Trumbo DH
Josh Hamilton RF
Howie Kendrick 2B
Hank Conger C
Brendan Harris 3B
J.B. Shuck LF

Joe Blanton RHP

ORIOLES LINEUP
Nate McLouth LF
Manny Machado 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis 1B
Matt Wieters C
J.J. Hardy SS
Ryan Flaherty 2B
Nolan Reimold DH

Chris Tillman RHP

Orioles outfielder Adam Jones had a rough night in center field. Jones, who came up just short on Kendrys  Morales’ two-out first-inning single that later scored, let Jesus Montero’s ball hit off his glove in the second for a triple. It was one of a handful of misplays already this season for Jones, a Gold Glove outfielder whose defense has come under fire.

Here is what Jones, who was by his locker as soon as the media was let in, had to say following the Orioles’ 8-3 loss…

[on the Jesus Montero triple] “I missed the ball. Doesn’t really matter if you misjudge it, you missed it. So, you make an excuse no one wants to listen to it. I missed it and cost my team. That inning turned out to be a pretty big inning. I need to clean my [stuff] up defensively. It’s [sic] frustrating. It’s part of the game. It’s why we got tomorrow. And I’m going to come back tomorrow ready to go.”

[on his defensive struggles overall this season] “It’s part of the game. You got to play offense, you got to play defense. Defense has always been a part that just comes. And there’s some things that I’m not doing well in the field and it’s frustrating. But you think it’s going to stop me from playing hard and stop the way I’m playing, it’s not. Just go to pretty much clean it up. You can formulate it all you want to do. You can say this, you can say that. Just got to get back on the field and get some reps and make the plays. Because those pitchers on the mound are fighting their tails off each and every day for us. And we’re a good defense. Being the center fielder, I need to play to a centerfielder standard.”

[On aiding starter Wei-Yin Chen’s early exit] I got to catch the ball off [Kendrys] Morales. You take that away, he had eight pitches up to that point [in the first inning]. He had the inning [in the second] with 22. You take those 14 pitches away the next inning, I catch the ball in center you never know. You got one out. I think I could have helped limit his pitches. I didn’t help him today which is frustrating because Chen goes out there and gives us everything he has every night. Tonight I failed him and I failed the team. But hey there’s tomorrow and I’m going to show up ready to play.”

[on if he thought he had a real shot at the Morales ball] “I think I should have every ball.  [Former Mariners Minor League instructor] Mike Goff said a long time ago, ‘It hits the grass that’s your [behind]’. And it hit the grass.”

*Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed that Miguel Gonzalez will start on Friday, leaving Saturday still TBA. There are some options on the roster now in the bullpen such as  Zach Clark, Tommy Hunter, Brian Matusz and T.J. McFarland and part of it will depend on where the ‘pen is health-wise. But there seems to be a pretty strong possibility the starter comes from Triple-A Norfolk. Freddy Garcia has thrown really well down there and could get the nod, with Jair Jurrjens and Jake Arrieta also options.

ORIOLES LINEUP
Nate McLouth LF
Manny Machado SS
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis 1B
Matt Wieters C
J.J. Hardy SS
Ryan Flaherty 2B
Nolan Reimold DH

Wei-Yin Chen LHP

MARINERS LINEUP

Michael Saunders CF
Kyle Seager 3B
Kendrys Morales DH
Michael Morse RF
Jayson Bay LF
Justin Smoak 1B
Dustin Ackley 2B
Jesus Montero C
Robert Andino SS

Aaron Harang RHP

*The Orioles have optioned Zach Britton to Triple-A Norfolk, clearing a roster spot for Zach Clark, who will be added to the bullpen tonight.

“I don’t consider myself a one and done guy, a spot [start] guy,” said Britton. ” I’d like to get an extended look, especially after having 10 days off. I’d like to hopefully get into my five-day routine and show them what I have been doing down there. I didn’t feel I presented myself the best that I could. So I didn’t expect for it to be a one-time shot, but I’m just going to keep going down there and throwing well and hopefully get another extended look.”

Britton started Monday’s game and got the loss after allowing six earned runs on 10 hits and two walks over six innings. It was the first big league start of 2013 for the 25-year-old lefty, who was recalled last week.

Asked whether it was performance-based or need-based, Britton said the team didn’t specify.

“They said they need an arm for tonight and I was the way to go,” he said. “It’s just frustrating. You work hard down there to get an extended look here. I felt like I threw well enough [for Triple-A Norfolk] that maybe I’d get an opportunity if there was a need, there was a need. Like I said I would have liked to have maybe get a couple more starts and give it an opportunity. Because like I said last night I obviously I didn’t feel like I presented myself as best as I could with the long layoff. I felt like if I could get back in my routine I would show them what I was doing down there on a more consistent basis. It was disappointing not to get an extended look. “

The move to add Clark, who has been a starter at Triple-A, ensures the Orioles bullpen stays fresh and in good health. The 29-year-old Clark, who was added to the 40-man roster this winter,  is 1-2 with a 4.56 ERA in five starts. Over those starts, he has allowed 30 hits and seven walks with 20 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings.

*The Orioles also officially added catcher Chris Snyder and designated catcher Luis Exposito for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot.

*Right-handed pitcher Steve Johnson has been activated from the disabled list and optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, so he will have to stay down there for the minimum 10-day period and isn’t a candidate to start this weekend for the Orioles, who will need a starter either Friday or Saturday depending on if they push back Miguel Gonzalez. Clark is an option to get a start, as are all of Norfolk’s other starters, including Jake Arrieta, Freddy Garcia and Jair Jurrjens.

*Brian Roberts hit off some soft toss today and threw from 75 feet today at the team’s spring facility in Sarasota, Fla. and the Orioles remain optimistic he will be able to avoid getting moved to the 60-day disabled list.  They also don’t have plans right now to move Taylor Teagarden (dislocated thumb) to the 60-day DL. Teagarden saw hand specialist Dr. Brian Schofield today and they should have a more definitive timetable for him when he gets out of that splint.

*Finally, had a nice chat with left-handed pitcher Joe Saunders today. Saunders, who is coming off a complete-game win over the Orioles last night, said he really enjoyed his time with Baltimore and would have really liked to return. Discussions between the two sides never got a point where the Orioles offered any kind of deal and Saunders, who was rumored to be seeking a multi-year contract, ultimately signed a one-year pact with Seattle.

ORIOLES LINEUP

Nate McLouth LF
Manny Machado 3B
Nick Markakis DH
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis 1B
Matt Wieters C
J.J. Hardy SS
Ryan Flaherty 2B
Chris Dickerson RF

Jason Hammel RHP

MARINERS LINEUP
Michael Saunders CF
Kyle Seager 3B
Kendry Morales DH
Mike Morse RF
Jason Bay LF
Justin Smoak 1B
Dustin Ackley 2B
Kelly Shoppach C
Brendan Ryan SS

Brandon Maurer RHP

Greetings from Seattle, with new catcher Chris Snyder on the field here taking some early batting practice.

Snyder will be likely activated tomorrow with the team wanting to give him a day to get acclimated and wait and see the time on Taylor Teagarden’s injury. Teagarden is schedule to see hand specialist Dr. Brian Schofield on Tuesday.

*Veteran pitcher Freddy Garcia has agreed to extend the opt-out clause in his contract and will remain in the Orioles organization for at least a few more starts.

“He wants to pitch in the big leagues,” executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said of Garcia, who has throwing for the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk. “But he likes the opportunity with the Orioles.”

Garcia’s new opt-out clause is May 14, meaning he can elect to exercise that and become a free agent if he’s not on the Orioles’ 25-man roster at that time. The 36-year-old has been throwing well for Norfolk and was named the International League Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA  in a pair of starts last week. Garcia (4-0) is leading the International League with four wins and has a 2.67 ERA in five starts with 21 strikeouts and two walks over 33 2/3 innings.

*The big news this afternoon is that top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy saw renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews on Monday and he received a platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection and was prescribed rest for six weeks. More on that here.

*Longtime Orioles usher Charlie Zill passed away over the weekend and the club issued the below statement:

“We are saddened to learn of Charlie Zill’s passing. Since 1997 Charlie was a fixture at Oriole Park, entertaining millions of fans during the seventh inning stretch as his “Zillbilly” character. Over the last several years his determination and positive attitude served as an inspiration for so many as he continued to work in spite of his illness. He will be deeply missed, and we extend our condolences to his family.”

*A good collection of former Orioles with Seattle, most notably second baseman Robert Andino and tonight’s starter Joe Saunders. Outfielder Endy Chavez is also with the Mariners along with former O’s bench coach Jeff Datz.

ORIOLES LINEUP
Nick Markakis RF
Manny Machado 3B
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis 1B
Matt Wieters C
J.J. Hardy SS
Steve Pearce DH
Nolan Reimold LF
Alexi Casilla 2B

Zach Britton LHP

MARINERS LINEUP
Michael Saunders CF
Kyle Seager 3B
Kendry Morales 1B
Mike Morse RF
Jesus Montero C
Justin Smoak DH
Jason Bay LF
Robert Andino 2B
Brendan Ryan SS

Joe Saunders LHP