Los Angeles Angels

Orioles' Tillman tries to rediscover top form vs. Angels (Aug 20, 2017)

Published Aug. 20, 2017 3:14 a.m. ET

BALTIMORE -- Chris Tillman returns to the starting rotation for the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday in the series finale with the Los Angeles Angels. The question now is if he can find his old form in this spot start, something that's eluded him all season.

Tillman will try to help the Orioles (60-63) win the rubber match of this three-game series with the Angels (63-60) on Sunday afternoon at Camden Yards.

Tillman (7.83 ERA) lost his spot in the starting rotation after going 1-7 in his first 15 starts and has pitched out of the bullpen twice since.

He will go against Parker Bridwell (7-1, 2.88), the former Oriole farmhand who has flourished since Los Angeles acquired him from Baltimore on April 17 for a player to be named later and cash.

Tillman hasn't given up a run in two short appearances out of the bullpen, and this will be his first start since Aug. 3, when he gave up seven runs in two innings versus the Tigers.

He missed a month at the start of the season with arm issues and hasn't rediscovered his old form that earned him 16 wins last year and 56 over the past four seasons.

"Chris has a really good pedigree of pitching good baseball for the Orioles and he's done the things that we asked him to do to get back," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "We need him to pitch well for us to get to where we want to go."

Bridwell has been a pleasant surprise since the Angels got him from the Orioles. This will be his 12th start (and 13th game) of the season, and he's given the injury-riddled Los Angeles starting rotation some much-needed help.

Since the beginning of July, he is 5-0 with a 2.22 ERA over seven starts. He even beat his old team, allowing one run on six hits in seven innings as the Angels topped the Orioles 3-2 on Aug. 8 in Anaheim.

If the Angels show the kind of power they have in the first two games, Bridwell could have a good chance to beat the Orioles again.

Los Angeles entered this series ranked next-to-last in the American League in homers but the Angels banged out five in Friday's loss and added four more -- two apiece by Mike Trout and Luis Valbuena -- in Saturday's 5-1 victory.

"We've hit them out," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We haven't hit many all year. We haven't had the slugging percentage to the level we need it. It's good to see it come alive."

Both teams will have a few injury questions heading into the series finale. The Orioles are hoping that Chris Davis will be able to return as he's missed the first two games with an unspecified illness.

Welington Castillo also was sick and missed Friday but was a late add to Saturday's lineup and played.

The Angels still are hoping that Cameron Maybin returns to the lineup Sunday or soon. He missed the first two games as his right knee hasn't felt right.

Maybin and manager Mike Scioscia said the situation is day-to-day. It's the same knee that kept him on the disabled list from July 19 to Aug. 7 (an MCL sprain).

Also, pitcher JC Ramirez, who came out of Saturday's start with irritation in his arm, will have an MRI exam on Monday. He was checked by the medical staff but they're going to do more testing.