Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Jake Arrieta says that he has “zero complications” and feels “100 percent” in his bid to be ready to throw with the big league club when spring training starts.

Arrieta was leading the Orioles in wins last season with 10 when he was lost for the year due to an arm injury. He underwent successful surgery on August 12 to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. Recently he said he’s been throwing on flat ground and said he feels good.

“I started my rehab pretty shortly after surgery,” Arrieta said. “I focused on mobility. That was really the first thing, try to get as much extension back as possible without pushing it too much. There’s a window in there where, if you go too far, you might run into a little complication, but I paired up with a physical therapist who’s a hand and elbow expert for 20-plus years, so I was very confident going in.”

The fact that Arrieta is throwing a baseball without discomfort is good news for the Orioles, whose starting rotation is still a bit uncertain after the staff ranked dead least in team ERA last year.

Despite going 9-17 with a 4.33 ERA Jeremy Guthrie is penciled in as the de-facto number one starter. There have been off-season trade rumors involving him but they appear to have ended and Guthrie will be headed back to the top of the rotation again this year for Baltimore.

Promising left-hander Zach Britton won 11 games in his rookie campaign, and is eager to show that he is also continuing his character and professional development on the mound after getting married in the off-season.

“I don’t think anybody, other than a guy like Guthrie—who has obviously established himself—everyone else needs to come in there knowing that they have to earn a spot,” said Britton. “We didn’t perform well enough to earn a spot.”

Britton is likely to have one, though, as the Scott Boras client has the tools for a bright future.

After that things get dicey for the Orioles. That is why they recently obtained 30-year-old Japanese left-handed pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada from the Softbank Hawks of the Japanese Pacific League.

Wada was signed to a two-year $8 million dollar contract to fill one of the spots on the Orioles paper-thin rotation. Wada went 16-5 record with a 1.51 ERA for Softbank in 2011 and walked just 40 batters in 184 2/3 innings.

But Wada is not a sure thing as his fastball tops out in the high 80s and he is a control pitcher who relies on contact and defense to win. That makes Arrieta all the more important to manager Buck Showalter and the Orioles.

“I’m healed up and ready to go,” Arrieta said.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Baltimore Orioles right-hander Jake Arrieta will have his elbow examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles next week.

Arrieta said his elbow was sore after pitching five innings against the New York Yankees on Sunday. He allowed four runs, two earned, and five hits in the loss, also finishing with six walks.

Manager Buck Showalter said Arrieta has a fibrous mass growth and if surgery is necessary he should be “ready to go in the spring.”

Arrieta is 10-8 with a 5.05 ERA in 22 starts this season, leading the team in victories.

Infielder Cesar Izturis, who is on the 60-day disabled list after having right elbow surgery in May, reported Tuesday to Double-A Bowie to begin a minor league rehab stint. He could rejoin the Orioles on Friday.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)—Baltimore Orioles right-hander Jake Arrieta(notes) will
have his elbow examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles next week.

Arrieta said his elbow was sore after pitching five innings against the New
York Yankees on Sunday. He allowed four runs, two earned, and five hits in the
loss, also finishing with six walks.

Manager Buck Showalter said Arrieta has a fibrous mass growth and if surgery
is necessary he should be “ready to go in the spring.”

Arrieta is 10-8 with a 5.05 ERA in 22 starts this season, leading the team
in victories.

Infielder Cesar Izturis(notes), who is on the 60-day disabled list after having
right elbow surgery in May, reported Tuesday to Double-A Bowie to begin a minor
league rehab stint. He could rejoin the Orioles on Friday.

TORONTO (AP) — A four-homer outburst gave the Baltimore Orioles something they haven’t had in years: a winning streak in Toronto.

J.J. Hardy homered twice, Derrek Lee and Nolan Reimold also connected and the Orioles beat the Blue Jays 12-4 on Tuesday night.

It’s the first time since June 6-7, 2008, that the Orioles have won consecutive games in Canada.

“That was something really special, especially to do that here,” right-hander Jake Arrieta said. “Everybody knows we’ve struggled here at Rogers Centre in the past, we haven’t played well in this ballpark.”

The Orioles had lost 16 straight north of the border before winning here on June 16. Baltimore has lost 25 of their past 29 games at Rogers Centre.

It was the first multihomer game of the season for Hardy and the fifth of his career. He went 2 for 5 with four RBIs.

Lee went 4 for 5 with five RBIs as Baltimore finished with season highs in runs and extra-base hits (eight).

“It was one of those ‘not to be denied’ nights,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “Hopefully it continues.”

Baltimore finished with 16 hits, with every member of the starting lineup collecting at least one.

Arrieta allowed five runs, four earned, and five hits in five innings to snap a five-start winless streak. Arrieta (10-7) walked two and struck out four to win for the first time since June 20, at Pittsburgh.

Arrieta left after being hit on the right foot by Edwin Encarnacion’s liner in the fifth inning. X-rays were negative.

Jose Bautista, who leads the majors with 31 homers, left in the third after he was hit in the helmet by a pitch from Arrieta.

He fell to the ground after being hit on the earflap with an 0-2 pitch.

Toronto’s trainers and manager John Farrell rushed to Bautista’s side as he remained on the dirt at home plate. He got to his knees and stayed there for a couple of minutes before walking off without assistance. He was replaced by John McDonald.

Bautista said he had no lingering effects and hoped to be in the lineup Wednesday.

“I’m fine, I’m not hurt,” he said. “My head doesn’t hurt, I’m not dizzy. I feel perfectly fine.”

Arrieta called the incident “really scary” and said he asked Toronto’s trainers to pass along his wishes to Bautista when he went for his X-rays.

“I felt terrible right after the fact,” Arrieta said. “I was trying to elevate a fastball away and that was one of those pitches that got away from me.

“I asked (the trainers) to please let Jose know that I was thinking about him and just wanted to know that he was OK,” Arrieta said. “Obviously there was zero intent on my part.”

Toronto’s Adam Lind hit a three-run shot, homering against Baltimore for the fifth consecutive game, and Aaron Hill added a solo drive, but it wasn’t enough for the Blue Jays.

Jason Berken pitched three scoreless innings and Mark Hendrickson finished for the Orioles.

The Orioles roughed up Blue Jays right-hander Brandon Morrow (7-5), spoiling his 27th birthday.

Morrow came in 2-0 in three career games against Baltimore and 5-0 with a 2.85 ERA in his last seven starts overall, but failed to get out of the fourth. He allowed seven runs, six earned, and nine hits in 3 1-3 innings, walked one and struck out five to lose for the first time since June 11 against Boston.

“I just wasn’t very good tonight,” Morrow said. “I was pulling a lot of fastballs to the first-base side of the box. And then if I wasn’t throwing my slider in the dirt, then I was spinning it at the top of the hitting zone.”

Hardy hit a leadoff homer to left in the third and added a two-run drive to left in the fourth, his 15th and 16th homers. He hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track in the fifth.

Lee hit a two-run double in the second, added an RBI single in the third and homered off Casey Janssen in the eighth, his 11th.

Reimold homered to begin the fourth, his sixth, and added an RBI double in the fifth. Robert Andino doubled home a run for the Orioles.

Lind cut Toronto’s deficit to 4-3 with a drive to center off Arrieta in the third, his 19th. Baltimore answered with three runs in the fourth before Hill opened the bottom half with a solo shot to left, his fifth.

NOTES: Orioles DH Vladimir Guerrero was activated off the 15-day DL after missing 10 games with a broken bone in his right wrist, and RHP Mark Worrell was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. … Baltimore LHP Zach Britton will be called up from the minors to start the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. … Orioles OF Luke Scott had season-ending surgery on his right shoulder Tuesday. … Lind has homered six times in his past five games against the Orioles.

TORONTO – A four-homer outburst gave the Baltimore Orioles
something they haven’t had in years: a winning streak in
Toronto.

J.J. Hardy homered twice, Derrek Lee and Nolan Reimold also
connected and the Orioles beat the Blue Jays 12-4 Tuesday
night.

It’s the first time since June 6-7, 2008, that the Orioles have won
consecutive games in Canada.

“That was something really special, especially to do that here,”
right-hander Jake Arrieta said. “Everybody knows we’ve struggled
here at Rogers Centre in the past, we haven’t played well in this
ballpark.”

The Orioles had lost 16 straight north of the border before winning
here June 16. Baltimore has lost 25 of their past 29 games at
Rogers Centre.

It was the first multihomer game of the season for Hardy and the
fifth of his career. He went 2 for 5 with four RBIs.

Lee went 4 for 5 with five RBIs as Baltimore finished with season
highs in runs and extra-base hits (eight).

“It was one of those ‘not to be denied’ nights,” Orioles manager
Buck Showalter said. “Hopefully it continues.”

Baltimore finished with 16 hits, with every member of the starting
lineup collecting at least one.

Mark Reynolds was the last starter to get a hit, and shared his
relief with Hardy after his two-out double in the sixth.

“I went out and gave him his glove [at the end of the inning] and
he goes ‘Phew,’” Hardy said. “I go ‘What?’ He goes ‘I was the last
one in the lineup to get a hit.’ I wouldn’t have known that if he
didn’t say it.”

Arrieta allowed five runs, four earned, and five hits in five
innings to snap a five-start winless streak. Arrieta (10-7) walked
two and struck out four to win for the first time since June 20, at
Pittsburgh.

“It’s nice to get it out of the way,” Arrieta said of reaching 10
wins. “I’d like to pile on quite a few more and see where I finish
the year.”

The last Oriole to record his 10th victory in July was left-hander
Erik Bedard, who did it on July 25, 2007.

Arrieta left after being hit on the right foot by Edwin
Encarnacion’s liner in the fifth inning. X-rays were
negative.

Jose Bautista, who leads the majors with 31 homers, left in the
third after he was hit in the helmet by a pitch from Arrieta. He
fell to the ground after being hit on the earflap with an 0-2
pitch.

Toronto’s trainers and manager John Farrell rushed to Bautista’s
side as he remained on the dirt at home plate. He got to his knees
and stayed there for a couple of minutes before walking off without
assistance. He was replaced by John McDonald.

Bautista said he had no lingering effects and hoped to be in the
lineup Wednesday.

“I’m fine, I’m not hurt,” he said. “My head doesn’t hurt, I’m not
dizzy. I feel perfectly fine.”

Arrieta called the incident “really scary” and said he asked
Toronto’s trainers to pass along his wishes to Bautista when he
went for his X-rays.

“I felt terrible right after the fact,” Arrieta said. “I was trying
to elevate a fastball away and that was one of those pitches that
got away from me.

“I asked [the trainers] to please let Jose know that I was thinking
about him and just wanted to know that he was OK,” Arrieta said.
“Obviously there was zero intent on my part.”

Toronto’s Adam Lind hit a three-run shot, homering against
Baltimore for the fifth consecutive game, and Aaron Hill added a
solo drive, but it wasn’t enough for the Blue Jays.

Jason Berken pitched three scoreless innings and Mark Hendrickson
finished for the Orioles.

The Orioles roughed up Blue Jays right-hander Brandon Morrow (7-5),
spoiling his 27th birthday.

Morrow came in 2-0 in three career games against Baltimore and 5-0
with a 2.85 ERA in his last seven starts overall, but failed to get
out of the fourth. He allowed seven runs, six earned, and nine hits
in 3 1-3 innings, walked one and struck out five to lose for the
first time since June 11 against Boston.

“I just wasn’t very good tonight,” Morrow said. “I was pulling a
lot of fastballs to the first-base side of the box. And then if I
wasn’t throwing my slider in the dirt, then I was spinning it at
the top of the hitting zone.”

Hardy hit a leadoff homer to left in the third and added a two-run
drive to left in the fourth, his 15th and 16th homers. He hit a
sacrifice fly to the warning track in the fifth.

Lee hit a two-run double in the second, added an RBI single in the
third and homered off Casey Janssen in the eighth, his 11th.

Reimold homered to begin the fourth, his sixth, and added an RBI
double in the fifth. Robert Andino doubled home a run for the
Orioles.

Lind cut Toronto’s deficit to 4-3 with a drive to center off
Arrieta in the third, his 19th. Baltimore answered with three runs
in the fourth before Hill opened the bottom half with a solo shot
to left, his fifth.

NOTES: Orioles DH Vladimir Guerrero was activated
off the 15-day DL after missing 10 games with a broken bone in his
right wrist, and RHP Mark Worrell was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.
… Baltimore LHP Zach Britton will be called up from the minors to
start the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.
… Orioles OF Luke Scott had season-ending surgery on his right
shoulder Tuesday. … Lind has homered six times in his past five
games against the Orioles.

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

TORONTO (AP)—A four-homer outburst gave the Baltimore Orioles something
they haven’t had in years: a winning streak in Toronto.

J.J. Hardy(notes) homered twice, Derrek Lee(notes) and Nolan Reimold(notes) also connected and
the Orioles beat the Blue Jays 12-4 on Tuesday night.

It’s the first time since June 6-7, 2008, that the Orioles have won
consecutive games in Canada.

“That was something really special, especially to do that here,”
right-hander Jake Arrieta(notes) said. “Everybody knows we’ve struggled here at Rogers
Centre in the past, we haven’t played well in this ballpark.”

The Orioles had lost 16 straight north of the border before winning here on
June 16. Baltimore has lost 25 of their past 29 games at Rogers Centre.

It was the first multihomer game of the season for Hardy and the fifth of
his career. He went 2 for 5 with four RBIs.

Lee went 4 for 5 with five RBIs as Baltimore finished with season highs in
runs and extra-base hits (eight).

“It was one of those ‘not to be denied’ nights,” Orioles manager Buck
Showalter said. “Hopefully it continues.”

Baltimore finished with 16 hits, with every member of the starting lineup
collecting at least one.

Mark Reynolds(notes) was the last starter to get a hit, and shared his relief with
Hardy after his two-out double in the sixth.

“I went out and gave him his glove (at the end of the inning) and he goes
‘Phew,”’ Hardy said. “I go ‘What?’ He goes ‘I was the last one in the lineup
to get a hit.’ I wouldn’t have known that if he didn’t say it.”

Arrieta allowed five runs, four earned, and five hits in five innings to
snap a five-start winless streak. Arrieta (10-7) walked two and struck out four
to win for the first time since June 20, at Pittsburgh.

“It’s nice to get it out of the way,” Arrieta said of reaching 10 wins.
“I’d like to pile on quite a few more and see where I finish the year.”

The last Oriole to record his 10th victory in July was left-hander Erik
Bedard(notes), who did it on July 25, 2007.

Arrieta left after being hit on the right foot by Edwin Encarnacion’s(notes) liner
in the fifth inning. X-rays were negative.

Jose Bautista(notes), who leads the majors with 31 homers, left in the third after
he was hit in the helmet by a pitch from Arrieta. He fell to the ground after
being hit on the earflap with an 0-2 pitch.

Toronto’s trainers and manager John Farrell rushed to Bautista’s side as he
remained on the dirt at home plate. He got to his knees and stayed there for a
couple of minutes before walking off without assistance. He was replaced by John
McDonald(notes).

Bautista said he had no lingering effects and hoped to be in the lineup
Wednesday.

“I’m fine, I’m not hurt,” he said. “My head doesn’t hurt, I’m not dizzy.
I feel perfectly fine.”

Arrieta called the incident “really scary” and said he asked Toronto’s
trainers to pass along his wishes to Bautista when he went for his X-rays.

“I felt terrible right after the fact,” Arrieta said. “I was trying to
elevate a fastball away and that was one of those pitches that got away from me.

“I asked (the trainers) to please let Jose know that I was thinking about
him and just wanted to know that he was OK,” Arrieta said. “Obviously there
was zero intent on my part.”

Toronto’s Adam Lind(notes) hit a three-run shot, homering against Baltimore for the
fifth consecutive game, and Aaron Hill(notes) added a solo drive, but it wasn’t enough
for the Blue Jays.

Jason Berken(notes) pitched three scoreless innings and Mark Hendrickson(notes) finished
for the Orioles.

The Orioles roughed up Blue Jays right-hander Brandon Morrow(notes) (7-5), spoiling
his 27th birthday.

Morrow came in 2-0 in three career games against Baltimore and 5-0 with a
2.85 ERA in his last seven starts overall, but failed to get out of the fourth.
He allowed seven runs, six earned, and nine hits in 3 1-3 innings, walked one
and struck out five to lose for the first time since June 11 against Boston.

“I just wasn’t very good tonight,” Morrow said. “I was pulling a lot of
fastballs to the first-base side of the box. And then if I wasn’t throwing my
slider in the dirt, then I was spinning it at the top of the hitting zone.”

Hardy hit a leadoff homer to left in the third and added a two-run drive to
left in the fourth, his 15th and 16th homers. He hit a sacrifice fly to the
warning track in the fifth.

Lee hit a two-run double in the second, added an RBI single in the third and
homered off Casey Janssen(notes) in the eighth, his 11th.

Reimold homered to begin the fourth, his sixth, and added an RBI double in
the fifth. Robert Andino(notes) doubled home a run for the Orioles.

Lind cut Toronto’s deficit to 4-3 with a drive to center off Arrieta in the
third, his 19th. Baltimore answered with three runs in the fourth before Hill
opened the bottom half with a solo shot to left, his fifth.

NOTES: Orioles DH Vladimir Guerrero(notes) was activated off the 15-day DL after
missing 10 games with a broken bone in his right wrist, and RHP Mark Worrell(notes) was
optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. … Baltimore LHP Zach Britton(notes) will be called up
from the minors to start the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Yankee
Stadium. … Orioles OF Luke Scott(notes) had season-ending surgery on his right
shoulder Tuesday. … Lind has homered six times in his past five games against
the Orioles.