TORONTO — Portland’s Ryan Flaherty was out of the Orioles’ lineup for Thursday’s game at Toronto with a sore right groin, another blow to Baltimore’s already thin middle infield options.

The Orioles are already without second baseman Jonathan Schoop, out since April 18 with a right knee sprain, and shortstop J.J. Hardy, who hasn’t played this season because of a strained left shoulder.

Flaherty, who’s batting .300 with two home runs and four RBI, sustained the injury running to second base on the final play Wednesday.

Manager Buck Showalter said Flaherty could go on the disabled list if he doesn’t improve before the Orioles open a three-game series at home against Boston on Friday.

Showalter spoke to General Manager Dan Duquette about options to replace Flaherty before Thursday’s game.

Jimmy Paredes made his first start of the season at second base Thursday.

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COMMISSIONER ROB Manfred said Pete Rose will be allowed to participate in activities surrounding this summer’s All-Star Game in his hometown of Cincinnati.

Rose, baseball’s career hits leader and a former Reds star player and manager, agreed to a lifetime ban from the sport in 1989 after a Major League Baseball investigation concluded he bet on his team while he was managing the club.

Manfred said initial thoughts about Rose’s role at the July 14 game will come from Reds owner Bob Castellini.

“I’ve agreed with Mr. Castellini that we’re going to have a conversation about what specific kind of participation the Reds are interested in, and we have not had that conversation yet,” Manfred said Thursday during a meeting with the Associated Press Sports Editors. “You can rest assured that he will be allowed to participate in some of the activities.”

MLB permitted Rose to take part in the All-Century team announcement at Atlanta’s Turner Field during the 1999 World Series and a Reds ceremony in 2013 honoring their 1975 and ’76 championship teams.

DON’T EXPECT to see big league players at the 2020 Olympics, even if the IOC reinstates the sport for the Tokyo Games.

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“The Olympics are a challenge because of the calendar,” Manfred said. “They are particularly a challenge when the site is halfway around the world and the date falls in the middle of our regular season.”

Manfred also said the sport’s international governing body should demand a long-term pledge from the International Olympic Committee before agreeing to return.

FOR THE first time in more than a decade, Barry Bonds is in the clear.

His conviction overturned on appeal, baseball’s home run king is no longer a felon. Yet his reputation might have been forever tarnished and the Hall of Fame’s doors could remain shut. Despite a decision that he didn’t break any laws, many fans concluded the ex-San Francisco star cheated by using performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonds’ obstruction of justice conviction was thrown out Wednesday by a federal court of appeals, but that doesn’t necessarily mean much when it comes to his legacy and the allegations of steroid use that will always surround his every accolade and accomplishment.

That doesn’t mean Commissioner Rob Manfred wants Bonds to stay away.

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“I think that it’s important for former players, quality former players, to be engaged with the game,” Manfred said. “People develop hero worship for great players like Barry and I think in terms of keeping fans engaged, it’s important to have those players around.”

TIGERS: Closer Joe Nathan will miss the rest of the season with a torn ligament in his pitching elbow.

Nathan tore his ulnar collateral ligament Wednesday while pitching on a minor-league rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Toledo. Hoping to show he was ready to come off the disabled list, he tore both his previously strained flexor pronator and his UCL.

BLUE JAYS: Toronto placed catcher Dioner Navarro on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring and recalled catcher Josh Thole from Triple-A Buffalo. Navarro suffered the injury trying to stretch a single into a double in the seventh inning of Tuesday’s 13-6 win over Baltimore.


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