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Inbox: Tillman nearing return to action?

Tillman, sidelined with a left ankle injury, will start either Sunday or Monday; barring a setback, I think he'll avoid the DL. Tillman and manager Buck Showalter said that Wednesday's bullpen session in Oakland went well and that the right-hander plans to test out his ankle further by fielding off a mound in Anaheim on Friday.

Because of the off-day, the Orioles don't need a spot starter, so there wasn't as much pressure on the club to move Tillman along. Ankles are tricky and the O's want to make sure he's 100 percent, but the schedule allowed them to do that without having to make significant rotation changes.