The Orioles introduced a collection of roster strikes Thursday. Infielder Emmanuel Rivera, just lately claimed off waivers, was added to the roster. In addition they chosen the contract of right-hander Matt Bowman and recalled lefty Nick Vespi. To open spots for these three, they optioned left-hander Trevor Rogers, right-hander Colin Selby and infielder Liván Soto to Triple-A Norfolk. To open a 40-man spot for Bowman, lefty Bruce Zimmermann was designated for task.
Over three weeks in the past, the Orioles acquired Rogers from the Marlins in a pre-deadline commerce, sending children Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers to Miami. The O’s have been having a strong season general, however holding the rotation intact has been difficult. All three of Kyle Bradish, John Means and Tyler Wells required surgical procedure to handle their respective ulnar collateral ligaments of their elbows earlier this yr. To bolster the group, they added each Zach Eflin and Rogers earlier than the deadline.
It was a buy-low state of affairs with Rogers, who had posted a 2.64 earned run common with the Marlins in 2021 however struggled since. He handled numerous accidents in 2022 and completed that yr with a 5.47 ERA. In 2023, he might solely make 4 begins as a consequence of a left biceps pressure and a partial tear in his proper lat.
Right here in 2024, he was wholesome sufficient to remain on the mound, making 21 begins for the Fish earlier than the deal. His velocity was down, however the outcomes have been satisfactory, as he had a 4.53 ERA in these 21 outings. Just a few days after the settlement, the lefty stated he had already acquired extra analytical data referring to his pitch combine and mechanics than throughout his whole time with the Marlins, per Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner on X. Maybe the O’s felt there was a path to getting Rogers again to his 2021 type by way of these analytics, or just him getting more healthy as he moved additional away from his accidents.
It has not gone to plan, as Rogers hasn’t fared effectively in his first 4 begins with the O’s. He has allowed 15 earned runs in 19 innings, resulting in a 7.11 ERA. His 13.3% strikeout fee and 11.1% stroll fee are effectively under the league common and nowhere close to his earlier work.
It appears the O’s have determined {that a} reset in Triple-A is so as. Maybe that may enable him to work on their instructed tweaks in a lower-stakes setting. He can nonetheless be retained by way of arbitration for 2 extra seasons after this one, so that they have a while to determine a path ahead. This isn’t a service time manipulation state of affairs, as he already crossed 4 years of service time earlier this yr.
Nonetheless, it’s lower than best for the membership to subtract certainly one of its key deadline pickups throughout a playoff race. The O’s are nonetheless comfy with a 74-54 file, simply half a recreation behind the Yankees within the East and at present possessing the highest wild-card spot. However the Royals and Twins are simply 2.5 video games again, and the Crimson Sox path the O’s by solely six video games, so nothing is about in stone with greater than a month left to play.
The rotation continues to be a problem as each Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez are on the injured checklist, Eflin as a consequence of shoulder discomfort and Rodriguez as a consequence of a lat pressure. With Rogers deliberately faraway from the combo, the rotation is now right down to Corbin Burnes, Dean Kremer, Albert Suárez, Cole Irvin and Cade Povich. Burnes is nice, however there are many questions with the others. Kremer and Irvin are primarily back-end guys, with the latter having handed via waivers a couple of weeks in the past and just lately added to the roster. Suárez retains placing up good numbers however is a 34-year-old journeyman within the majors for the primary time since 2017. Povich has simply 9 main league begins and a 5.77 ERA in these.
Ideally, the membership hopes to get Rodriguez and Eflin again for the tip of the common season after which the playoffs, however they must attempt to get by with this group for now. Maybe Rogers may also work his manner again into the combo with some fast changes within the minors, however he can’t be recalled for the subsequent 15 days except changing somebody happening the injured checklist.
Every week in the past, Bowman, 33, was signed to a minor league deal. That pact contained an upward mobility clause Thursday and an opt-out subsequent week. It appears the O’s didn’t need him to get away or needed so as to add a contemporary arm to their bullpen, so he’s been added to their roster Thursday.
As quickly as he will get right into a recreation for the O’s, it is going to be his fourth membership of the yr, as he’s already suited up for the Twins, Diamondbacks and Mariners. Since he’s out of choices, he’s frequently been squeezed out of his alternatives. Each time he has cleared waivers, he has elected free company and signed a brand new take care of contemporary opt-outs, seemingly having a powerful desire for flexibility.
Whereas bouncing round, he has thrown 15 main league innings with a 5.40 ERA, 15.2% strikeout fee, 10.6% stroll fee and 46.8% floor ball fee. However he’s additionally thrown 33 2/3 Triple-A innings with a 1.87 ERA, 31.3% strikeout fee, 6.9% stroll fee and grounders on greater than half of the balls in play he’s allowed.
That minor league efficiency has seemingly led to loads of curiosity, with Baltimore being his newest cease. If he can carry out like that on the main league degree, he may very well be a wonderful asset for a Baltimore bullpen that hasn’t been sturdy this yr. Their reduction corps has a collective 4.18 ERA, placing them within the backside third of the league. If issues click on, he could be retained past this season by way of arbitration, however primarily based on how his yr has gone, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him bouncing round once more quickly.
Zimmermann, 29, has been within the Orioles’ group for over six years. He came to visit from Atlanta within the July 2018 commerce that despatched Kevin Gausman and Darren O’Day the opposite manner. He appeared in 38 video games over the 2020-23 seasons, logging 158 1/3 innings with a 5.57 ERA, 18.1% strikeout fee, 5.2% stroll fee and 41.1% floor ball fee.
He’s been on elective task for all of 2024 to date, having tossed 69 1/3 innings within the minors with a 4.41 ERA, 21.7% strikeout fee and eight.6% stroll fee. With the commerce deadline now handed, the O’s must put Zimmermann on waivers within the coming days.
That is his ultimate possibility yr, so he’ll be out of choices subsequent yr. A claiming membership might stash him within the minors for the remainder of this season, however he’ll want an energetic roster spot by subsequent yr. He has lower than two years of service in order that any claiming membership might management him for 5 seasons past this one. If he have been to move via outright waivers unclaimed, he would stick to the O’s in a non-roster capability.
