Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is absent from the Friday night lineup against Cleveland with a groin issue. Ryan Flaherty is set to play the position instead with Jonathan Schoop batting second. Machado, however, said before the game that he is just resting the groin and should be fine Saturday.
Machado has played in just 20 game since returning from a knee injury that kept him sidelined since late last season. But he's on an eight-game hitting streak in which he has 10 hits in 32 at-bats to raise his average from .176 to .229. Machado, however, has just three RBI in 83 at-bats on the year.