"Orioles interim manager Juan Samuel said he spoke to Brian Roberts on Tuesday afternoon and the injured second baseman's timetable for return is four to six weeks.

"He's a couple of weeks away from baseball activities from what he told me," Samuel said.

"But it sounds like in four to six weeks, we should see him around here. According to the report, that's basically what the target is. To me, it's a positive for us. There's so much uncertainty there. That's something that we're going to be looking forward to, but at the same time, we want him to get comfortable."

Roberts received an epidural in his lower back -- his third of the season -- in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Friday after extensive tests on the area came back negative. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said Monday that he still expects Roberts to be back with the team this season and that there has been no discussion of surgery."