Major League Baseball

Orioles activate 3B Manny Machado, who is set to start nightcap

Published May. 1, 2014 2:48 p.m. ET

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Manny Machado came off the 15-day disabled list Thursday, then had to wait a bit longer before making his 2014 debut with the Baltimore Orioles.

Machado hadn't played since undergoing left knee surgery in October. 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.''

The 21-year-old Machado 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 RBI. 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 Triple-A 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.