MLB notes: Orioles VP Dan Duquette seeks pitching depth

The A.L. East-leading Baltimore Orioles are seeking to secure a few good arms before Thursday’s non-waiver trade deadline.

“We’ve had conversations with a number of teams and we’ve been looking for some pitching depth,” Dan Duquette, the Orioles vice president of baseball operations, said Tuesday. “That’s primarily what we’re focused on.”

Baltimore currently has five dependable starters – Chris Tillman, Miguel Gonzalez, Wei-Yin Chen, Bud Norris and Kevin Gausman. Not only that, but Ubaldo Jimenez (ankle sprain) is close to leaving the disabled list.

So Duquette isn’t necessarily looking for a front-line starter, primarily because the cost would be too high.

He is more likely to shore up the bullpen. At this point, however, nothing is imminent. If nothing happened at all, Duquette would be fine with the team as it is currently constructed.

“So far, so good,” he said. “Every team has strengths and areas we could improve upon. Our team is like that. We have been able to get more consistent starting pitching, which will cover up a lot of areas of your team. We’ve been able to execute defensively, which has helped us win the close games. This is a good ballclub.”

Baltimore started the day with a 2 1/2-game lead over Toronto and a 4 1/2-game advantage over New York. Duquette isn’t satisfied, but he isn’t going to mortgage the future for a quick fix.

Scully returning

Vin Scully is staying in the booth for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 86-year-old Hall of Fame announcer will return for his record 66th season with the team in 2015.

The announcement was made on the Dodger Stadium video board in the second inning of Tuesday’s game against Atlanta.

Clearing the bases

Longtime major league reliever Troy Percival is the new baseball coach at UC Riverside. Percival grew up near Riverside and played three seasons for the Highlanders before the Angels drafted him as a catcher in 1990. … The Alameda County Board of Supervisors has voted to approve a 10-year lease extension to keep the Athletics in Oakland. … Nationals right fielder Jayson Werth was held out of the starting lineup on Tuesday against the Marlins after spraining his right ankle on Monday. … Rays ace David Price says he hopes to stay with the team as the trade deadline approaches.