Orioles sign J.D. Davis to Minor League contract

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

 

  • Agreed to terms on a 2024 Minor League contract with INF J.D. Davis.

Orioles recall Bryan Baker, place Jacob Webb on IL

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

 

  • Recalled RHP Bryan Baker from Triple-A Norfolk.
  • Placed RHP Jacob Webb on the 15-day Injured List (right elbow inflammation), retroactive to August 4.

 

Orioles recall Akin, place Kjerstad and Rodriguez on IL

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

 

  • Recalled LHP Keegan Akin from Triple-A Norfolk.
  • Placed OF Heston Kjerstad on the 10-day Injured List (concussion), retroactive to August 1.
  • Placed RHP Grayson Rodriguez on the 15-day Injured List (right lat/teres discomfort), retroactive to August 4.

Orioles call up Coby Mayo, option Livan Soto

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

 

  • Selected the contract of INF Coby Mayo from Triple-A Norfolk. He will wear No. 16 and his first appearance will be his Major League debut.
  • Optioned INF Livan Soto to Triple-A Norfolk.

 

Additionally, LHP Matt Krook has been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk.

The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 40 players.

Activation of trade acquisitions among roster moves

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

  • Activated DH/OF Eloy Jiménez. He will wear No. 72.
  • Activated LHP Trevor Rogers. He will wear No. 28 and start tonight’s game.
  • Activated OF Austin Slater. He will wear No. 15.
  • Recalled INF Livan Soto from Triple-A Norfolk. He will wear No. 73.
  • Optioned LHP Keegan Akin to Triple-A Norfolk.
  • Optioned OF Heston Kjerstad to Triple-A Norfolk.
  • Placed INF Jordan Westburg on the 10-day Injured List (right hand fracture).
  • Designated OF Cristian Pache for assignment.

Additionally, RHP Vinny Nittoli elected free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A. The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 39 players.

Orioles recall Jackson Holliday

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

 

  • Recalled 2B/SS Jackson Holliday from Triple-A Norfolk.
  • Activated LHP Gregory Soto. He will wear No. 65.
  • Optioned C Blake Hunt to Triple-A Norfolk.
  • Optioned INF/OF Terrin Vavra to Triple-A Norfolk.

 

Additionally, RHP Levi Stoudt has been outrighted to Double-A Bowie. 

 

Orioles acquire Gregory Soto from Phillies for Seth Johnson and Moisés Chace

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired left-handed pitcher GREGORY SOTO from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for right-handed pitcher SETH JOHNSON and minor league right-handed pitcher MOISÉS CHACE

Soto, 29, is 2-4 with a 4.08 ERA (16 ER/35.1 IP) with 36 hits (2 HR), 19 total runs allowed, six hit-by-pitches, 20 walks (2 IBB), and 44 strikeouts in 43 games, all in relief, for the Phillies. His 97.7 mph average fastball velocity ranks in the top four percent of MLB, per Statcast. Soto has made at least 60 appearances each season since the start of 2021 and made the National League All-Star team in 2021 and 2022. He was acquired by Philadelphia, along with infielder Kody Clemens, from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for outfielder Matt Vierling, infielder Nick Maton, and catcher Donny Sands on January 7, 2023. Soto, a native of Haina, Dominican Republic, originally joined the Tigers after signing as an international free agent in December 2012.

Johnson, 25, went 0-6 with a 2.63 ERA (19 ER/65.0 IP) with 51 hits (5 HR), 24 total runs, 35 walks, and 61 strikeouts in 18 games, all starts, with Double-A Bowie this season. At the time of the move, he was ranked as the No. 8 Orioles prospect and No. 3 O’s pitching prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. He was acquired by the Orioles from the Tampa Bay Rays as part of a three-team, five-player trade with the Houston Astros that included infielder/outfielder Trey Mancini on August 1, 2022. Johnson was originally selected by Tampa Bay in the Competitive Balance A Round (40th overall) of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Campbell University (NC).

Chace, 21, held a 2-2 record with a 3.46 ERA (20 ER/52.0 IP) with 37 hits (5 HR), 22 total runs, six hit-by-pitches, 30 walks, and 76 strikeouts in 17 games (9 GS) with High-A Aberdeen this season. A native of La Guaira, Venezuela, Chace was signed by the Orioles on July 2, 2019, as a minor league free agent.

Soto has not yet reported.

Orioles acquire Eloy Jiménez from White Sox in exchange for Trey McGough

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired outfielder ELOY JIMÉNEZ and cash considerations from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for minor league left-handed pitcher TREY McGOUGH

Jiménez (pronounced eh-LOY he-MEN-ehz), 27, is slashing .240/.297/.345 (55-for-229) with nine doubles, five home runs, 18 runs scored, 16 RBI, 18 walks (1 IBB), one hit-by-pitch, and three stolen bases in 65 games for the White Sox this season. All but one of his starts have been as the designated hitter, with his lone game in the outfield coming on May 19. He’s batting .304/.360/.370 (14-for-46) with three doubles against left-handed pitching this year. Jiménez won a Silver Slugger in 2020 and finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2019. He was acquired by Chicago-AL along with Dylan Cease and two others from Chicago-NL in exchange for José Quintana on July 13, 2017. Jiménez was originally signed by the Cubs as an international free agent on August 1, 2013, out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He signed a six-year contract with the White Sox before making his MLB debut in March 2019. That contract includes club options in 2025 and 2026.

McGough, 26, is 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA (12 ER/54.1 IP) with 33 hits (2 HR), 14 total runs, one hit-by-pitch, 21 walks, and 55 strikeouts in 28 games, all relief appearances, between Triple-A Norfolk and Double-A Bowie this year. He was taken by the Orioles in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft from the Pittsburgh Pirates on December 7, 2022. McGough was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the 24th round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Mount St. Mary’s University (PA).

Jiménez has not yet reported.

Orioles acquire Austin Slater and Livan Soto from Reds

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired outfielder AUSTIN SLATER, infielder LIVAN SOTO, and cash considerations from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later.

Slater, 31, is batting .185/.308/.222 (20-for-108) with one double, one home run, 14 runs scored, 12 RBI, 18 walks, and three hit-by-pitches in 51 games (29 starts) between the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds this season. He was acquired by Cincinnati from San Francisco on July 7. Since the start of 2021, Slater has made 206 appearances off the bench, 41 more than any other player in the big leagues during that time. Slater was originally selected by the Giants in the eighth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of The Bolles School (FL).

Soto, 24, went 0-for-3 in one start for the Reds on June 26, 2024, his lone MLB appearance this season. He had been designated for assignment by Cincinnati earlier today. Soto was claimed by Baltimore on February 8 and was in camp with the Orioles until being designated for assignment on February 16, again claimed by the club on April 11, and then claimed by the Reds on April 19 after being designated for assignment by Baltimore on April 16. He’s appeared in 23 career MLB games, with 18 of them as a member of the Los Angeles Angels in 2022. Soto was originally signed by the Atlanta Braves as an international free agent out of Valencia, Venezuela in July 2016.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Orioles transferred infielder/outfielder JORGE MATEO to the 60-day Injured List (left elbow subluxation) and designated left-handed pitcher MATT KROOK for assignment. Slater has not yet reported and Soto has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

Nationals acquire infielder Andrés Chaparro from Diamondbacks for Dylan Floro

The Washington Nationals acquired infielder Andrės Chaparro from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for right-handed pitcher Dylan Floro on Tuesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Chaparro, 25, is hitting .332 with 26 doubles, one triple, 19 home runs, 75 RBI, 41 walks, three stolen bases and 69 runs scored in 95 games for Triple-A Reno. He leads Arizona’s system in average, on-base percentage (.403) and hits (122) and ranks in runs scored (2nd), slugging percentage (3rd, .564), OPS (3rd, .967), doubles (3rd), extra-base hits (3rd, 46) RBI (3rd) and home runs (T4th).

Chaparro joined the Diamondbacks system after spending his first six professional seasons (2017-23) in the New York Yankees system. He is a career .265/.351/.466 hitter with 115 doubles, six triples, 96 home runs, 358 RBI and 249 walks in 567 career Minor League games. 

A native of El Viga, Venezuela, Chaparro was signed by the New York Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2015.

Floro, 33, went 3-3 with a 2.06 ERA in 51 games out of Washington’s bullpen in 2024.

Nationals select contract of Travis Blankenhorn and recall Joan Adon

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of outfielder Travis Blankenhorn and recalled right-handed pitcher Joan Adon from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Blankenhorn, 27, joins Washington for the first time this season after he led the Nationals organization and ranked fourth in all of Minor League Baseball with 24 home runs. Blankenhorn also ranked tied for sixth in all of the Minors in extra-base hits with 47 and led Washington’s system in RBI (69), slugging (.518), doubles (22) and runs (58). In all, he hit .246 with 22 doubles, a triple, 24 homers, 69 RBI, 38 walks, two stolen bases and 58 runs for the Red Wings this year.

Over his last two Triple-A seasons, the Pottsville, Pa. native has homered 47 times, tied for third-most in Triple-A and tied for ninth-most in all of Minor League Baseball. Blankenhorn’s 99 extra-base hits over the last two years rank third in Triple-A and tied for sixth in all of the Minors.

Blankenhorn played in 10 games for Washington in 2023. His contract was selected on September 1 and he became the 13th player in Nationals history (2005-pres.) to homer in his team debut when he hit a solo shot against Miami at Nationals Park. He finished the season batting .161 with a home run, one RBI, six walks and two runs scored.

Adon, 25, returns for his third stint with the Nationals this season. He has posted a 5.40 ERA (3 ER / 5.0 IP) with three strikeouts in two games at the Major League level.

Orioles recall Blake Hunt, designate Cole Irvin for assignment

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

  • Recalled C Blake Hunt from Triple-A Norfolk. He will wear No. 81 and his first appearance will be his MLB debut.
  • Designated LHP Cole Irvin for assignment.

The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 39 players.

Orioles acquire Trevor Rogers from Marlins for Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers

ORIOLES ACQUIRE TREVOR ROGERS FROM THE MIAMI MARLINS IN EXCHANGE FOR CONNOR NORBY AND KYLE STOWERS

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired left-handed pitcher TREVOR ROGERS from the Miami Marlins in exchange for infielder/outfielder CONNOR NORBY and outfielder KYLE STOWERS.

Rogers, 26, is 2-9 with a 4.53 ERA (53 ER/105.1 IP) with 115 hits (12 HR), 58 total runs allowed, 46 walks (2 IBB), three hit batters, and 85 strikeouts in 21 starts with the Marlins this season. In nine starts since June 9, he’s posted a 3.17 ERA (17 ER/48.1 IP) while surrendering two runs or fewer in eight of those games. He was a 2021 National League All-Star after pitching to a 2.31 ERA (26 ER/101.1 IP) in 18 starts before the break and finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting behind Cincinnati’s Jonathan India. He was selected by Miami in the first round (13th overall) of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Carlsbad (NM) High School.

Norby, 24, is slashing .188/.188/.406 (6-for-32) with one double, two home runs, three runs scored, and three RBI in nine games with the Orioles this season. He made his MLB debut on June 3 at Toronto and hit his first career home run off Blue Jays righty Nate Pearson the next day. Norby is ranked the No. 5 O’s prospect and No. 9 overall second base prospect by MLB Pipeline. He was selected by Baltimore in the second round (41st overall) of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft out of East Carolina University (NC).

Stowers, 26, batted .306/.297/.500 (11-for-36) with four doubles, one home run, three runs scored, and nine RBI in 19 games with Baltimore this year. He made his MLB debut on June 13, 2022, and hit his first big league homer on August 25, 2022, off Liam Hendriks, a game-tying solo blast with two outs in the ninth inning. Stowers was the Brooks Robinson Minor League Co-Player of the Year (with Adley Rutschman) in 2021. He was selected by Baltimore in the Competitive Balance Round B (71st overall) of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Stanford University (CA).

Povich returns to Norfolk

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

  • Returned 27th man LHP Cade Povich to Triple-A Norfolk after today’s doubleheader.

Nationals acquire three prospects in exchange for Lane Thomas

The Washington Nationals acquired left-handed pitcher Alex Clemmey, infielder José Tena and infielder Rafael Ramirez Jr. from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for outfielder Lane Thomas on Monday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Clemmey, is Cleveland’s No. 7 prospect according to Baseball America and its No. 8 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com In his first professional season, Clemmey has struck out 97 batters with a .214 opponents’ batting average in 69.1 innings pitched for Single-A Lynchburg. His 97 strikeouts rank third in the Carolina League and fifth among Guardians farmhands. On the season, he is 1-4 with a 4.67 ERA in 19 starts. Baseball America also cites Clemmey as having the “Best Curveball” among Cleveland Minor Leaguers.

The 6-foot-6, 205-pound Clemmey has pitched to a 2.28 ERA (11 ER/43.1 IP) with 63 strikeouts, a 1.18 WHIP, a .185 opponents’ average and just two home runs allowed in his last 11 starts since May 24. During this stretch, he tossed 4.2 shutout innings with eight strikeouts and three hits on June 12 vs. Augusta (ATL) and on July 5 vs. Salem (BOS), he struck out seven batters in 4.0 no-hit innings. He kicked off the strong run with 5.0 innings of one-hit, shutout ball on May 24 at Fredericksburg (WSH).

The 19-year-old was Cleveland’s second-round pick (No. 58 overall) in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft out of Bishop Hendricken (RI) High School. He was named Rhode Island's 2023 Gatorade Player of the Year after finishing his senior year with a 9-1 record and 0.42 ERA (2 ER/43.0 IP) with 105 strikeouts in 10 starts. Clemmey was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 49 prospect in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft and the No. 3 high school left-handed pitcher in the draft, according to Perfect Game.

Tena, 23, leads Cleveland’s Minor League system with 110 hits and ranks in home runs (2nd, 17), RBI (3rd, 63), extra-base hits (4th, 36), batting average (4th, .298), slugging percentage (6th, .493) and OPS (6th, .846). He’s clubbed 17 doubles and recorded 14 stolen bases in 90 games for Triple-A Columbus this season. Tena is a career .286/.339/.443 hitter with 109 doubles, 22 triples, 57 home runs, 152 walks, 64 stolen bases and 304 runs scored in 520 games across five Minor League seasons.

Povich up as 27th player for twinbill, will start second game

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

  • Added LHP Cade Povich from Triple-A Norfolk to serve as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader. He will start the second game.

Eflin activated

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

  • Activated RHP Zach Eflin. He will wear No. 24.
  • Optioned RHP Bryan Baker to Triple-A Norfolk after yesterday’s game.

Nationals acquire RHP Stuart from Mets

The Washington Nationals acquired right-handed pitcher Tyler Stuart from the New York Mets in exchange for outfielder/designated hitter Jesse Winker on Sunday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Stuart, 24, is 3-7 with a 3.96 ERA in 17 starts for Double-A Binghamton this season. He has 90 strikeouts in 84.0 innings and has held batters to a .259 average against. He's pitched to a 2.00 ERA (6 ER/27.0 IP), with 28 strikeouts, two walks and a .208 opponents’ average (21-for-101) in his last five starts.

Stuart led all of Minor League Baseball (full-season) with a 2.20 ERA and paced New York’s system with a 1.10 WHIP in 21 starts between High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton in 2023. He was named a Baseball America High-A All-Star and an MiLB.com Organizational All-Star along the way. Stuart went 4-0 with a 1.55 ERA in 14 starts for High-A Brooklyn before being transferred to Double-A Binghamton for his final seven starts of the season. He earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors after his final start on August 23 at New Hampshire (TOR) when he tossed 6.0 innings of two-hit, shutout ball with six strikeouts.

The No. 17 prospect in the Mets organization according to MLBPipeline.com and the No. 23 prospect according to Baseball America, Stuart is 10-9 with a 3.09 ERA and 9.48 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in 41 career Minor League games (40 starts). He was originally selected by the Mets in the sixth round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Southern Mississippi.

Winker, hit .257 with 18 doubles, 11 home runs, 45 RBI, 53 walks and 14 stolen bases in 101 games for the Nationals in 2024.

Orioles trade three prospects for righty Eflin

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired right-handed pitcher ZACH EFLIN and cash considerations from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher JACKSON BAUMEISTER, minor league infielder/outfielder MAC HORVATH, and minor league outfielder MATTHEW ETZEL

Eflin, 30, is 5-7 with a 4.09 ERA (50 ER/110.0 IP) with 115 hits (14 HR), 55 total runs allowed, three hit-by-pitches, 13 walks, and 87 strikeouts in 19 games, all starts, for the Rays. His 2.8 percent walk rate is the second-best among qualified pitchers in MLB this season behind Seattle’s George Kirby (2.6%), and his 5.0 walk rate since debuting in 2016 is the third-best among active qualified pitchers behind St. Louis’ Miles Mikolas (4.3%) and Los Angeles-NL’s Clayton Kershaw (4.7%). Eflin won a career-high 16 games for Tampa Bay last year, tied with Toronto’s Chris Bassitt for the most in the American League, while his 1.02 WHIP was the second-best mark in MLB behind New York-AL’s Gerrit Cole (0.98). He finished sixth in the AL Cy Young voting in 2023. The right-hander was originally selected by the San Diego Padres in the Supplemental First Round (33rd overall) of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Hagerty (FL) High School. He was acquired by the Dodgers as part of a five-player trade involving Matt Kemp on December 18, 2014, and by the Philadelphia Phillies in a three-player move for Jimmy Rollins on December 19, 2014. Eflin signed a three-year contract with the Rays in December 2022 that runs through the 2025 season.

Baumeister, 22, is 1-3 with a 3.06 ERA (24 ER/70.2 IP) with 53 hits (3 HR), 31 total runs, seven hit-by-pitches, 43 walks, and 91 strikeouts in 18 games, all starts, with High-A Aberdeen. He was selected by the Orioles in the Compensation B Round (63rd overall) of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft out of Florida State University. Baumeister is ranked as the No. 17 O’s prospect and No. 6 Orioles pitching prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Horvath, 23, is slashing .232/.328/.417 (63-for-271) with 19 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 40 runs scored, 41 RBI, four hit-by-pitches, 37 walks, and 26 stolen bases in 71 games with High-A Aberdeen. He was originally selected by the Orioles in the Compensation B Round (53rd overall) of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of North Carolina. Horvath is ranked as the No. 10 O’s prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Etzel, 22, is batting .289/.363/.445 (87-for-301) with 15 doubles, seven triples, six homers, 46 runs scored, 47 RBI, two hit-by-pitches, 36 walks (2 IBB), and 41 stolen bases in 83 combined games between Double-A Bowie and High-A Aberdeen. He was originally selected by the Orioles in the 10th round of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Southern Mississippi.

Nationals recall RHP Salazar, Weems to IL

The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Eduardo Salazar from Triple-A Rochester placed right-handed pitcher Jordan Weems on the 15-day Injured List with right shin splints (retroactive to July 25) on Friday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Salazar, 26, joins the Nationals for his second stint with the club this season. He pitched in one game for Washington after he was recalled on July 13 and worked 2.0 hitless innings with four strikeouts in Milwaukee on July 14. 

In 10 games for Triple-A Rochester in 2024, Salazar was 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA (1 ER/12.0 IP), 17 strikeouts and just three walks. In his most recent outing for the Red Wings, he struck out a pair in 1.1 scoreless frames against Lehigh Valley (PHI) on July 25. Salazar has not allowed an earned run in Triple-A in his last 11.0 innings (nine games) since June 18.

Salazar was claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners on June 13 after appearing in four games with Triple-A Tacoma. He opened the season in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ system and eventually appeared in one Major League game, May 15 at San Francisco (2.0 IP, 3 H, R, 2 BB, 3 SO).

A native of Cumana, Venezuela, Salazar was originally signed by the Cincinnati Reds as a non-drafted free agent on March 4, 2017. He made his Major League debut with Cincinnati on May 24, 2023 vs. St. Louis and earned his first Major League win on June 6, 2023 vs. Los Angeles (NL). Salazar has appeared in 10 Major League games across two seasons, going 1-0 with a 6.06 ERA along the way.