4:30pm: The Orioles have announced the claim and that Head has been optioned to Triple-A. To make room on the 40-man roster, they have designated lefty Kirk McCarty for assignment. McCarty had just been claimed off waivers from the Guardians last week and thrown four innings for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides before heading back into DFA limbo. The O’s will have one week to trade him, pass him through waivers or release him.
1:20pm: The Orioles have claimed right-hander Louis Head off waivers from the Marlins, according to Mark Feinsand and Christina De Nicola of MLB.com.
Head, 32, made his major league debut with the Rays last year, throwing 35 innings with a 2.31 ERA, 23.9% strikeout rate, 6.7% walk rate and 31.1% ground ball rate. There was likely some good fortune keeping that ERA down, as Head allowed a .216 batting average on balls in play, well below last year’s .290 league average.
In the offseason, the Rays flipped him to the Marlins for a player to be named later, which was eventually revealed to be Josh Roberson. Here in 2022, the Marlins surely didn’t get what they were hoping for out of Head. Through 23 2/3 innings, he has an unfortunate 7.23 ERA, with a 20.7% strikeout rate, 9.9% walk rate and 26.4% ground ball rate, all of those numbers being worse than league average. He was placed on the IL on June 23 with an impingement in his non-throwing shoulder. He began a rehab assignment three days ago but won’t return to the Marlins, heading to the Baltimore organization instead.
The move is a little curious, as Head still has options. When he finished his rehab assignment, he could have simply been sent to Triple-A as depth, but the Marlins evidently wanted to move on instead. Injured players can’t be placed on outright waivers, only release waivers. Although there had not been any public indication he’d been designated for assignment, it appears the Marlins put him on release waivers recently, with the Orioles putting in a claim.
Baltimore has a full 40-man roster at the moment, meaning a corresponding move of some kind will be required to accommodate Head’s addition.
That’s how you get a Head.
What does everybody want?
What does everybody need???
What does everybody love?????
Give ’em head, Al!
What happened to his brother Gimme?
Why would the orioles want head from the marlins!
Brad Hand would fit nice as a bullpen pairing.
Came here to say this!
At least no teeth!
Always love seeing a team get Head
C’mon MLBTR, there are kids on this site.
Yes, and it appears that many of them are posting.
MLBTR trying to attract a younger audience.
Not sure how a 32-yr old reliever with little mlb time fits onto the O’s 40-man roster. Although Elias and team are good with finding guys off the waiver wire.
Dude you didn’t even make a phallic joke? What’s wrong with you?
You’re such a Johnson
Remember when “Big Johnson” shirts were cool?
or Gamecocks!!
Orioles about to trade some relievers!
Just came here to read the comments. Not disappointed.
MLBTR team meeting: Hey all, should we close the comments section next time Head is DFA’d?
No, leave it open.
It must have been rough on him as a kid. It probably made him tougher.
Another rays move of predicting the future extremely well
Under yesterday’s article about the O’s deadline plans I wrote they didn’t need to do much – continue to play the youngsters and watch them get better.
I should have added that the one thing they could use are some fresh arms for the bullpen. Holt and his staff have done a wonderful job working guys acquired off the waiver wire to having one of the best bullpens in MLB. But like all bullpens around the league some of their pitchers need more rest. This is the one area Elias can continue to shore up, but it’s not like they need a closer or some top set-up guys.
A smart, measured move. Bright FO.
They are very smart, that’s what happens when you take the entire Astros FO with you. They are smart folks! Glad to see the O’s using the Astros blueprint to turn into an eventual powerhouse.
Good Head is hard to find.
I do remember the minor league signings last year with Rex Brothers signing and then L.J. Hoes.
It was Bros before Hoes.
My dream is for rex brothers play for Taiwan league team brothers. He would have first and last name on uniform
I really don’t get this move from Birdland
The HEAD guy in the Orioles’ front office
jumped a HEAD
and made the move to get a HEAD
so the team can move a HEAD
before they HEAD off into the sunset….
not good bruh!
Marlins give head to the orioles
This headline has low key Trevor Bauer or Deshaun Watson vibes.
Good move. Front Office realised they’d made a mistake and moved on.
This transaction just reeks of a Beavis and Butthead moment.
I mean Head> McCarty but I still don’t see why they risked losing Diplan for either of them.
Exactly. Diplan is better than these 2 on most given days. I am hoping Diplan accepts his assignment and stays with the Orioles.
This move is really a head scratcher (no pun meant by that statement). I would have kept Diplan over both Head and McCarty but if I had to choose between the later it would have been McCarty. Maybe the Orioles are hoping McCarty passes through waviers and excepts a AAA assignment. Maybe they think they can flip Head at the trade deadline for a low level prospect.
I knew this would be festival of head jokes.