Orioles acquire pitcher Tyler Herb (plus Núñez and Rogers updates)

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles consummated a minor league trade this afternoon, obtaining right-hander Tyler Herb from the Giants for outfielder Mike Yastrzemski.

Herb made 13 starts last summer at Triple-A Sacramento and went 2-8 with a 5.35 ERA and 1.599 WHIP in 70 2/3 innings. The Harrisburg, Pa., native turns 27 in April.

The Mariners drafted Herb in the 29th round in 2014 out of Coastal Carolina University. He's 30-34 with a 4.14 ERA and 1.439 WHIP in five minor league seasons.

The Giants acquired Herb from the Mariners back in July 2017 for cash considerations. They outrighted him in October. He hasn't pitched in the majors.

A Baseball Prospectus scouting report on Herb noted the above-average movement on his fastball.

Yastrzemski, 28, had been in the Orioles system since they chose him in the 14th round of the 2013 draft out of Vanderbilt University. The grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski was invited to his first major league camp this spring and went 3-for-18 with a double and home run.

The outfield at Triple-A Norfolk is getting more crowded following a series of camp roster cuts and Yastrzemski has lost his prospect status. Playing time would have been scarce.

* Third baseman Renato Núñez isn't sure whether he's going to be ready physically for opening day, saying only that it remains his goal and there's been a reduction in the amount of soreness in his right biceps.

Núñez is the designated hitter tonight after getting two at-bats last night as Mark Trumbo's replacement. The discomfort surfaced after he made a throw across the diamond in a March 16 game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin.

"It's feeling much better," he said this morning. "It felt good yesterday swinging, being the DH, and nothing today.

"I still feel it when I throw a little bit. But yesterday I felt much better and today I feel better than yesterday and hopefully I'll continue doing it."

The Orioles open their season Thursday against the Yankees and they could opt to place Núñez on the injured list if the biceps hasn't fully healed. He's trying to hold onto the starting job at third base.

"That's the goal," he said. "Of course, I want to be playing today. I don't really feel it when I'm DHing, when I'm swinging, so at least I can swing the bat."

The Orioles will be down to three games after today, including split-squads Sunday versus the Phillies and Pirates. Not much time for Núñez to make a return to third base, where Rio Ruiz could wrestle the job from him.

"I don't know," Núñez said. "I can't tell you because I've got to see how I feel today and see what the trainers say. Of course I want to be playing but let's see how I feel today."

* Left-hander Josh Rogers said his back is fine this morning after he came out of Thursday's game in Bradenton. His spike caught on the mound in the ninth inning and he felt the back grab momentarily, and manager Brandon Hyde removed him.

"I felt 100 percent," he said. "There was nothing that happened. I just clipped my cleat on the mound and it tightened up a little bit for a split second, so it kind of concerned me. I just needed like 10, 15 seconds for it to kind of calm down because I jarred it real quick. But Hyder was a little concerned because of the motions that I was making out there.

"Just on the strict precautionary side when Hyder took me out of the game, which was kind of unfortunate for me at the time, but it's all good. Hopefully I get to get back out there in the next couple of days.

"Either tomorrow or the next day. We'll see. It's all up to them. Excited if I can get out there one more time."

Rogers has made seven appearances and Hyde stretched him out to 3 2/3 and 3 1/3 innings before his truncated outing against the Pirates. Deemed a candidate for the rotation, he's likely fallen out of the competition.

Hyde said Rogers was mad at him after coming out of the game. Apparently, he wasn't joking.

"I was a little mad just because I'm trying to prove something, still trying to make this team," Rogers said, smiling. "But at the end of the day, it was better safe than sorry, I guess. Hopefully, I get back out there for one more."