The Orioles announced that right-hander Brooks Kriske was claimed off waivers from the Reds, then assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. As reported by MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko (X link) earlier today, left-hander Nick Vespi was designated for assignment to create an opening on Baltimore’s 40-man roster.
Cincinnati designed Kriske for assignment earlier this week, and the righty now returns to one of his former teams. Kriske posted a 12.27 ERA over four games and 3 2/3 innings with the Orioles in 2021, before the O’s released him following the season so Kriske could sign with the Yokohama BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball. After his season in Japan, Kriske returned to North America on a minors deal with the Royals and delivered a 4.05 ERA in 6 2/3 innings in 2023, before heading back to NPB for a brief stint with the Seibu Lions.
Kriske then signed a minors deal with the Reds this past winter, and didn’t see any big league action despite a brief stint on Cincinnati’s active roster back in June. He had a 3.10 ERA and eye-opening 36.7% strikeout rate in 49 1/3 innings at Triple-A Louisville, albeit with the red flags of an inflated 14.8% walk rate and a very favorable .205 BABIP. The numbers essentially continue the story of Kriske’s career, as the 30-year-old has long struggled with his control while also missing a lot of bats.
The resume was intriguing enough for the Orioles to bring Kriske in for another look in the organization, though if he does get called up to the majors, Kriske lacks some flexibility since he is out of minor league options. Vespi is in his final option year, and he has been recalled and demoted from Triple-A the maximum five times this season, which undoubtedly factored into Baltimore’s decision to send the southpaw to the DFA wire.
Vespi has frequently been shuttled back and forth between Baltimore and Norfolk during his three Major League seasons, as the O’s haven’t felt compelled to give Vespi an extended look despite some pretty solid performance. Vespi has a 3.88 ERA over his 53 1/3 career MLB innings, including a 2.92 ERA in 12 1/3 frames in 2024. In something of the inverse of Kriske, Vespi is a control specialist (5.9% walk rate in the bigs) who doesn’t record many strikeouts (20.9K%).
Strangely, Vespi’s walk rate has gone through the roof during his time at Triple-A this season, with a huge 15.9% walk rate contributing to his 7.71 ERA over 37 1/3 innings in Norfolk. Both the walk rate and the ERA seem like outliers against Vespi’s otherwise solid career record at the Triple-A level, and other teams might not be dissuaded from putting in a waiver claim to obtain his rights.
For some reason I picture him driving a Vespa.
Also, I keep reading “Barry Kripke” and picturing the inside of a comic book store every time Kriske’s name pops up here.
Solid pickup. Looking at his bref page his era has more double digits than anyone i’ve ever seen. Another Elias contingency plan to actually trading for a real pitcher.
Could have gotten Kopech for Norby, without question. Instead decided to trade for Cole Irvin’s twin and beg for help on the waiver wire.
SOLID
Without question, eh? How’s the view from the CHW front office?
Seriously?
Bro, it’s another beautiful summer day in Chicago, so the view is good. The team is awful and my boss (owner Jerry) blows, but I’m living the dream.
Honestly, Getz probably would have declined that offer and counter-offered with Kopech for Norby and Holliday because he is an incompetent clown that is in way over his head as an MLB GM.
King, I wish I could argue this one, but you’re probably right. Making Kopech a throw-in when it was a seller’s market shows that Getz was in over his head and probably would have screwed that trade up too.
This one doesn’t make sense to me at all
It’s a kriske move for sure…
MUH K RATE
Replacing a Vespi with a Krispy Kreme
Say it ain’t so
Grasping for straws
The K rate is sexy, I guess?
I mean, yeah, he doesn’t give up a lot of hits and strikes out a lot of guys in AAA, but his big league trials up to this point have been batting practice.
Vespi has actually been decent though, whereas Kriske has never really been decent at the MLB level, and his BB rate and BABIP at AAA this year don’t inspire much confidence that that’s going to change dramatically in the next month or so.
The Os seem convinced that players who can’t strike guys out won’t make it as relievers. They have worlds of chances to Baumman, but Vespi gets little. Idk. Their bullpen is ok, but not great.
WTF is Elias thinking? He looks worse with every new transaction
I don’t really like this move, but I get it. The guy has an almost 37% K rate at AAA this year, so why not see if we can get something out of him? Vespi isn’t a huge loss if not.
O’s seemed to have been doing better with the roster they had and continuity… all of a sudden players are coming in and out the door like a Vegas cat house
The Orioles claimed Kriske and immediately optioned him. However the article continued to say that if he is called up he is out of options. And Kriske has been optioned only twice this year so he’s not close to the five times rule.
Not sure if there was an edit, but the write up correctly states he was assigned to AAA. He wasn’t on CIN 40 man so optioning was not a requirement.
Then why did the Orioles DFA Vespi? If Kriske is out of options he can’t be on the 40 man roster and on option assignment. The MLB page said he was optioned
Geo, you can have your contract purchased to the big league club (added to 40 man) and still be on optional assigment.
That is true. The article said Kriske can’t be optioned if he is recalled. I think the writer confused him with Vespi. Vespi has been sent down 5 times. If he gets recalled he can’t be optioned again without clearing waivers.
Kriske was on Cincy’s 40-man until he was DFA’d a few days ago. He had been on optional assignment with the Reds’ AAA team. So he apparently still has an option which the O’s should be able to use – and it seems like that’s exactly what they’ve done.
About the 5 times rule, my understanding is that it’s team-specific. Kriske would start with a clean slate and Baltimore would be able to option him up to 5 times.
Same with any team that picks up Vespi. And maybe it would even reset if Vespi passes through waivers, stays with the O’s, and eventually gets added back to the 40-man.
Who cares about options when a guy is awful?
Does Elias value flexibility above ability?
Orioles constantly getting rid of mediocre relievers for almost mediocre receivers
Why? I’m a Reds fan and I’ve seen nothing encouraging about this guy..
Twins should grab Vespa if they get the opportunity. We’re desperate for a good lefty in our pen…