The Orioles have agreed to minor league contracts with left-handers Dana Eveland and Andy Oliver, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter links). Both will head to Triple-A, according to Kubatko.
Eveland, a client of PSI Sports Management, began the year in the Red Sox organization but opted out of his deal after pitching well at the Triple-A level. He signed with the Braves and joined their big league roster but pitched just 3 1/3 innings before being designated for assignment and released.
The 31-year-old Eveland returned to Major League Baseball last season after spending the 2013 campaign pitching for the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization. He made 30 appearances with the Mets and worked to a 2.63 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 27 1/3 innings. Despite that solid performance, Eveland settled for a minor league contract this past offseason. In 25 innings split between Triple-A Pawtucket (Boston) and Gwinnett (Atlanta) this season, Eveland has worked to a 1.54 ERA with 23 strikeouts and three walks.
Oliver was selected in the minor league portion of the most recent Rule 5 Draft by the Phillies but was cut loose in Spring Training. He ended up with the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate, where he notched a 3.86 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 28 innings. However, Oliver also walked a troublesome 24 hitters in that time. Control problems have long plagued Oliver, who was once one of the more promising prospects in the Tigers’ farm system. He’ll hope to reach the Majors for the first time since 2011 with the Orioles.
Wasn’t 2012 enough of Dana Eveland for the Orioles?