The Brewers have acquired Triple-A infielder Patrick Dorrian from the Orioles in exchange for cash considerations, per MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy (via Twitter). Dorrian, 25, hit .161/.256/.269 over 169 plate appearances with Triple-A Norfolk this season. As recently as last year, however, Dorrian posted a solid .246/.362/.475 in 473 plate appearances in Double-A. The Brewers will see if they can rekindle some of that magic in Triple-A.
Orioles Rumors
Orioles Outright Zac Lowther
- The Orioles announced that left-hander Zac Lowther went unclaimed on outright waivers and has been subsequently assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. He was designated for assignment a week ago, when Baltimore claimed infielder Jonathan Arauz off waivers from the Red Sox. Lowther, 26, was a second-round pick by the Orioles back in 2017 and for a few years rated as one of their system’s most promising arms. It was easy to see why, as he breezed through the low minors, reaching Double-A as a 23-year-old in 2019 and hurling 148 frames of 2.55 ERA ball with a 26% strikeout rate (albeit against an elevated 10.6% walk rate). Since moving up to the Triple-A level, however, the former Xavier University standout has been clobbered for 61 earned runs in 65 1/3 frames. He’s endured similar struggles in his limited Major League action, pitching to a grisly 6.94 ERA with 15 walks, five hit batsmen and six homers allowed in just 35 innings.
Orioles Activate Joey Krehbiel, Option Logan Gillaspie
The Orioles have activated Joey Krehbiel from the 15-day injured list and placed him on the active roster. Right-hander Logan Gillaspie was optioned to Triple-A to make room, per the team.
Gillaspie, 25, has made 11 appearances spanning 10 1/3 innings with a 4.35 ERA/3.23 FIP. This year is his first with big-league experience. He has also made nine appearances in Triple-A with a 3.14 ERA over 14 1/3 innings.
Krehbiel, 29, has been an active participant out of the bullpen for the Orioles this season, appearing in 22 games. He’s pitched to a 2.74 ERA, but just 4.48 FIP across 23 innings with a 16-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Orioles claimed Krehbiel off waivers from the Rays last September.
Orioles Reinstate Anthony Santander, Keegan Akin
JUNE 17: As expected, Santander and Akin have been reinstated from the restricted list before this evening’s game against the Rays. Stowers and Garcia have been returned to the minor leagues and are off the 40-man roster.
JUNE 13: The Orioles announced they’ve selected outfielder Kyle Stowers and right-hander Rico Garcia onto the major league roster as designated COVID-19 “substitutes.” In corresponding moves, they’ve placed outfielder Anthony Santander and lefty Keegan Akin on the restricted list. That’s the standard practice for players who haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 on teams headed for a series in Toronto. The Canadian government prohibits unvaccinated athletes from crossing the border, so Santander and Akin will miss the next four games.
Stowers is the more notable of the two call-ups, as he’s now in line to make his major league debut. A supplemental second-round pick out of Stanford back in 2019, the left-handed hitter has been one of the organization’s most interesting prospects since that point. Stowers appeared among the top 30 farmhands in a quality Baltimore system each season from 2020-22, according to Baseball America, with the outlet recently placing him as the O’s #9 minor league talent.
Primarily a corner outfielder, Stowers’ calling card is his bat speed and power potential. BA graded his raw power as plus-plus (a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale), and he popped 27 home runs and 23 doubles across three minor league levels last season. Stowers drew plenty of walks as well but struck out in more than 30% of his plate appearances at each stop, and both Baseball America and Keith Law of the Athletic raised questions about how often he swings through pitches inside the strike zone.
To Stowers’ credit, he’s cut back on his strikeout rate thus far in the 2022 campaign. Through 209 plate appearances at Triple-A Norfolk, he’s hitting .253/.356/.545 with 12 homers and a more manageable 25.4% strikeout percentage. That’s still a few points north of the league average, but it’s unquestionably an improvement relative to last season and hasn’t come at the cost of any of Stowers’ extra-base impact.
Garcia, meanwhile, is headed to the majors for the first time in two years. The Honolulu native suited up with the Rockies and Giants between 2019-20, tossing 16 innings of 7.31 ERA ball between the division rivals. Garcia missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery, and he was limited to a minor league deal this past winter. He has a 1.93 ERA across 18 2/3 innings between three levels, striking out an excellent 37.2% of opponents along the way.
That Baltimore specified both Stowers and Garcia are COVID replacements is notable, as they’ll each be occupying a temporary spot on the 40-man roster. Both players can be taken off the roster and returned to Norfolk when Santander and Akin are eligible to return on Friday, and that seems the likeliest course of action.
Stowers, in particular, figures to land a permanent roster spot in the relatively near future, though. He’ll need to be added to the 40-man at the start of next offseason to keep him from being taken in the Rule 5 draft, and Baltimore could bring him up for an extended look against big league arms before too long given his strong high minors showing.
In other O’s news, the club announced that infielder Chris Owings has passed through release waivers unclaimed. He’s now a free agent. Baltimore designated Owings for assignment last week after a .107/.254/.143 start to the season.
Orioles Claim Jonathan Arauz, Designate Zac Lowther
The Orioles announced they’ve claimed infielder Jonathan Araúz off waivers from the Red Sox and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. Left-hander Zac Lowther has been designated for assignment to create a 40-man roster spot.
Boston designated Araúz for assignment last week, a move that eventually ended his tenure in the organization after two-plus seasons. Selected out of the Astros organization in the 2019 Rule 5 draft, Araúz stuck on the active roster for the shortened 2020 campaign. Boston secured his long-term contractual rights and he’s bounced on and off the active roster for the past two seasons as a depth infielder. The switch-hitter owns a .204/.280/.320 line with four home runs through 167 big league plate appearances.
The Panama native has posted a .228/.303/.329 mark in just under 400 trips to the dish with the Red Sox’s top affiliate in Worcester. That’s obviously not great production, but he’s only punched out in 15.8% of his Triple-A plate appearances. Araúz is capable of playing both middle infield positions as well as third base, and while he’s never likely to be much of a power threat, he at least brings solid bat-to-ball skills to the table. The 23-year-old is in his second minor league option year, so the O’s can stash him in Norfolk for the next year and a half if he holds onto a 40-man spot.
Lowther’s designation comes as a bit of a surprise, as the Xavier product had recently been rated as one of the better pitching prospects in the organization. He’s appeared among Baseball America’s rankings of the O’s top 30 prospects heading into each of the past five years. Lowther doesn’t throw hard or draw particularly strong grades for his breaking pitches, but evaluators have pointed to the deception in his delivery and his generally strong control as reasons he could be a useful depth starter.
The 26-year-old is amidst an absolutely dreadful season with Norfolk, though, as he’s been tagged for a 10.03 ERA across 35 innings. He’s served up eight homers in his ten outings while posting worse than average strikeout and walk numbers (21.7% and 10%, respectively). Lowther has also been hit hard at the big league level, allowing just under seven earned runs per nine innings over 11 appearances. That’s a far cry from his stellar performances up through Double-A, and the O’s have been discouraged enough by the recent results to risk losing him entirely.
Baltimore will have a week to trade Lowther or try to run him through outright waivers. His low minors dominance and pair of remaining options could lead another team to see whether they can get him back on track. If Lowther goes unclaimed, he’d remain in the upper minors of the Orioles’ system without occupying a spot on the 40-man roster.
Angelos Family Reportedly Battling Over Control Of Orioles
June 13: John Angelos released a statement this morning that wholly rejects the notion of ever relocating the Orioles and pushes back against many of the allegations levied by his brother (Twitter link):
“…My mother was born and raised in northeast Baltimore, attended city public schools at Eastern High School, and has worked with my father their entire lives to help the city, including by restoring the club to local ownership and preventing its relocation. For them, as for me, the Orioles will forever play at Oriole Park, and at no time ever have we contemplated anything different.
Since I was appointed Chairman and CEO according to my parents’ expressed wishes, and voted as the control person for the team by the 30 Major League Clubs, I have taken significant steps to ensure that our beloved franchise’s future remains in Charm City. Just two months ago we celebrated the Maryland General Assembly passing a bill promising to put $1.2 billion into reinvesting and reimagining the Camden Yards Sports Complex, which includes Oriole Park, ensuring the team will continue to play right here in downtown Baltimore for generations to come. Maryland is committed to keeping our team in this great state, and I am equally committed to keeping the Orioles at the heart of our state. …
I want to assure our Orioles players and coaches, our dedicated front office Senior Leadership Team and staff, and our devoted fans, trusted partners, elected, civic, and non-profit leaders, and our entire community, that the Orioles will never leave.”
June 12: The hands at the levers of the Baltimore Orioles are fighting each other, according to a report from Tim Prudente and Justin Fenton of The Baltimore Banner. The piece provides details of a lawsuit wherein Louis Angelos is suing his brother John Angelos. Both men are the sons of 92-year-old Peter Angelos, who was the principal investor of a group that purchased the franchise in 1993. The lawsuit from Louis alleges that Peter intended for his two sons and Georgia, wife of Peter and mother of John and Louis, to share control of the team, but that John has since taken steps to seize control of the club against his father’s wishes.
According to the lawsuit, Peter collapsed in 2017 due to the failure of his aortic valve. It seems that, in the subsequent years, plans for succession were developed, with Peter establishing a trust with his wife and two sons as co-trustees to manage the family’s assets. Lou Angelos alleges that John has since tried to take over the reins against his brother’s wishes. “John intends to maintain absolute control over the Orioles — to manage, to sell, or, if he chooses, to move to Tennessee (where he has a home and where his wife’s career is headquartered) — without having to answer to anyone,” the complaint states.
Among Lou Angelos’ allegations is that Georgia’s priority is to sell the team, with an advisor trying to put together a sale in 2020. According to the suit, John stepped in and nixed this deal. Lou also accuses John of firing, or demanding that others fire, key front office employees, including Brady Anderson. After his playing days, Anderson served in the Baltimore front office, eventually working his way up to vice president of baseball operations. However, he departed the organization in 2019.
By November 2020, Major League Baseball’s other owners had approved John Angelos to take over as the O’s “control person,” in light of Peter’s declining health. As noted at the end of the piece, this franchise is worth an estimated $1.375 billion, according to Forbes. Prudente and Fenton also point out that, earlier this year, the Maryland State legislature passed an initiative committing $1.2 billion for upgrades to Oriole Park as well as the Ravens’ M&T Bank Stadium, hoping to prevent both franchises from leaving the state. The club’s lease at Camden Yards runs through 2023, and the team has an option to extend the lease by an additional five seasons next February.
Of course, none of Lou Angelos’ allegations have been substantiated in court. It’s possible the litigation winds up being settled or dismissed before ever getting in front of a jury. Nevertheless, it is still noteworthy that one of baseball’s 30 franchises seems to be mired in turmoil at the top level, and there figures to be plenty to follow over the coming months.
The Orioles have not commented on the matter. The piece contains many details not covered here, and interested readers are encouraged to give it a thorough read in order to get the full story.
Orioles Designate Chris Owings For Assignment
June 12: The Orioles announced that Owings has been placed on unconditional release waivers.
June 8: The Orioles announced they’ve designated utilityman Chris Owings for assignment. The move opens a spot on the active roster for newly-claimed righty Austin Voth. The designation also opens a vacancy on the 40-man roster, which now sits at 39.
Owings signed a minor league contract with Baltimore during Spring Training. He cracked the Opening Day roster, and he’s started 19 of the club’s 57 games while working in a utility capacity. The 30-year-old has tallied 68 plate appearances but hit just .107/.254/.143 while striking out 24 times in that limited look. The slow start squeezed him off the active roster, and Owings has more than enough service time to refuse an option to Triple-A, leaving the O’s to designate him for assignment.
The right-handed hitting Owings has never made much of an impact at the plate, carrying a career .239/.287/.366 line in just under 2500 MLB plate appearances. He’s nevertheless continued to earn opportunities on the strength of his defensive versatility and baserunning. Owings has appeared in each of the last ten big league seasons, settling into a depth role over the past few years after a run as a regular middle infielder early in his career with the Diamondbacks. The South Carolina native has experience all over the diamond, with the bulk of his work coming at second base, shortstop and in center field.
Baltimore will have a week to trade Owings or place him on waivers. Given his early-season struggles, it seems likely he’ll pass through waivers unclaimed and hit free agency — either via a release or rejecting an outright assignment to the minor leagues.
Orioles’ manager Brandon Hyde also informed reporters (including Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun) the club is set to option right-hander Spenser Watkins to Triple-A Norfolk after reinstating him from the 15-day injured list. Watkins is tied for fourth on the team with eight starts, but he’s struggled to a 6.00 ERA across 30 innings. The 29-year-old has walked 15 batters while striking out 14, and the club recently welcomed Dean Kremer back from the IL for his season debut. Watkins, who has been out since late May due to an elbow contusion, will remain on the 40-man roster as a depth option.
Orioles Place Ramon Urias On 10-Day Injured List
- The Orioles placed infielder Ramon Urias on the 10-day injured list due to a left oblique strain, and selected Richie Martin’s contract from Triple-A. With a pretty even split of playing time between shortstop, second base, and third base over his three MLB seasons, Urias has handled the majority of third base duty for the O’s this season, though he hasn’t matched his production from the 2021 season. After posting a 115 wRC+ in 296 PA with Baltimore last year, Urias has a more modest 86 wRC+ and a .225/.273/.387 slash line in 188 PA this season. Tyler Nevin figures to get most of the third base playing time with Urias out, and Martin (called up for his first Major League action of 2022) will likely spell Rougned Odor and Jorge Mateo at the two middle infield positions.
Orioles Claim Austin Voth, Designate Cody Sedlock For Assignment
June 10: The Orioles announced that Sedlock has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. He will remain in the organization but without occupying a roster spot.
June 7: The Orioles announced Tuesday that they’ve claimed righty Austin Voth off waivers from the Nationals and designated fellow right-hander Cody Sedlock for assignment in a corresponding roster move.
Voth, 30 later this month, was long one of the more promising arms in the Nationals’ system but has yet to find sustained success in the Majors either as a reliever or as a starter. He looked to have turned a corner back in 2019, when he posted a 3.30 ERA in 43 2/3 innings with a highly effective, high-spin curveball helping him to post strong strikeout and walk rates. But Voth’s entire arsenal took a step back during the shortened 2020 season, resulting in a 6.34 ERA over the life of 11 starts.
That proved to be Voth’s longest rotation audition in the Majors, as he was moved to the bullpen the following season but struggled through similarly poor results. He’s out of options, so the Nats carried him on the Opening Day roster in hopes of Voth at last righting the ship, but he was clobbered for 21 runs through 18 2/3 frames before the Nationals finally cut bait and designated him for assignment.
Voth still has excellent spin rate on his fastball and elite spin on his curveball, so the O’s are surely hoping that a change of scenery and some new voices can help him translate that into effective innings. He’s been plagued by a .455 batting average on balls in play this season, which is bound to regress to some extent, but Voth is also among the game’s most homer-prone pitchers and has been since that ill-fated 2020 season. A move to Camden Yards and, more broadly, the mostly hitter-friendly parks throughout the AL East, isn’t going to help in that regard — but perhaps the Orioles have a new game plan to help Voth keep the ball in the yard.
As for the 26-year-old Sedlock, he was the Orioles’ No. 2 prospect at Baseball America back in 2017 and their No. 7 prospect a year later. Viewed at the time as a potential mid-rotation arm or better, Sedlock has taken several steps back, primarily due to injuries. A forearm injury, shoulder injury and thoracic outlet surgery have combined to derail the former first-rounder’s career to this point.
Sedlock came to the O’s with a four-pitch mix and an ideal starter’s build (6’4″, 220 pounds), but he’s now posted an ERA north of 5.00 in three of his five professional seasons and has never reached 100 innings in a single season. As Keith Law of The Athletic points out (via Twitter), Sedlock’s injury-plagued career is a cautionary tale for the college pitchers who are regularly overworked; the right-hander tossed 132 pitches over a 10 2/3-inning start in his junior year at Illinois, Law notes, before going on to toss 113, 106, 115 and 120 pitches on short rest over his next several appearances.
The Orioles will have a week to trade Sedlock or attempt to pass him through outright waivers. Given his pedigree, it’s certainly possible another club will view him as a change-of-scenery candidate, but Sedlock averaged 91 mph on his fastball in a brief and unsuccessful MLB debut this year (five runs in three innings) — and he has a long list of arm injuries on his resume before even turning 27.
Orioles’ Prospect Grayson Rodriguez Diagnosed With Lat Strain
TODAY: Elias provided reporters (including MASNsports.com’s Steve Melewski) with another update, saying Rodriguez has suffered a Grade 2 lat strain. As a result, Rodriguez isn’t expected to return until September at the earliest, and while “I definitely don’t want to rule out him pitching later this season if we think it’s the right thing to do,” Elias said there is a possibility the team might ultimately shut the righty down for the rest of 2022. Ultimately, the Orioles’ aim is to have Rodriguez on the Opening Day roster for 2023.
JUNE 2: Orioles pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez suffered a right lat strain during his start last night with Triple-A Norfolk, general manager Mike Elias announced to reporters (including Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com and Dan Connolly of the Athletic). Elias declined to specify a timetable for his return to game action but ominously noted the 22-year-old “is going to miss a decent amount of time at minimum.” (Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Sun first reported the diagnosis before the team announcement).
It’s a disappointing development both for Rodriguez personally and the Baltimore fanbase. The 11th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Rodriguez has cemented himself as one of the sport’s most highly-regarded minor league arms. Baseball America just ranked the right-hander the sport’s #3 overall prospect and top pitching farmhand on its updated Top 100 list this morning. FanGraphs and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN each rated him as the league’s best minor league pitcher heading into the season.
Rodriguez has backed up that optimism with an incredible start to the year in Norfolk. Through 11 starts with the Tides, he’s worked 56 innings of 2.09 ERA ball. The Texas native has fanned an incredible 37.4% of batters faced at the minors’ top level against a meager 6.5% walk rate. He’s allowed fewer than three earned runs per nine innings at every stop in his pro career.
That utter domination of Triple-A hitters had seemed to put Rodriguez on the map for an imminent call-up. That’ll obviously be on hold while he’s out of action, and Elias declined to answer when asked if this injury could prevent Rodriguez from making his major league debut at any point in 2022 (Connolly link). In any event, whatever hope O’s fans had of potentially seeing the prized young hurler in Camden Yards over the next few weeks has been dashed.
It’s a disappointing setback, although Elias expressed confidence Rodriguez wouldn’t be hampered long-term by his recovery process. At 22-30, the O’s are likely ticketed for another last place finish in the AL East. The timing of Rodriguez’s debut won’t change the team’s fortunes this season, but he’d provide a jolt to the fanbase and get a development opportunity against big league hitters if he returns to health and gets on a big league mound at some point this season.
