8:49pm: Supervisor Brandon Hyde stated after tonight’s win that the IL placement for Wells is precautionary (X hyperlink through Jacob Calvin Meyer of the Baltimore Solar). The membership is hopeful he’ll solely be out of motion for a pair weeks.
6:10pm: The Orioles introduced that they’ve positioned right-hander Tyler Wells on the 15-day injured record attributable to proper elbow irritation, retroactive to April 13. They chose the contract of catcher David Bañuelos to take his place on the energetic roster. To open a 40-man spot for Banuelos, they designated Liván Soto for task.
There’s some proof to counsel that this harm cropped up unexpectedly. Wells began for the O’s on Friday, tossing 90 pitches over 4 innings, and was scheduled to begin tomorrow’s sport. The information of this transaction dropped simply minutes earlier than tonight’s contest began and reporters resembling Jake Rill of MLB.com and Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner level out that Bañuelos was already with the membership on the taxi squad as an emergency third catcher.
The O’s have already got two catchers on the roster in Adley Rutschman and James McCann. There’s been nothing to counsel that something is improper with both of them, so it seems that Bañuelos was added as a result of he was round and there wasn’t sufficient time to name up one other arm from considered one of Baltimore’s minor league golf equipment.
No matter when it went down, the harm to Wells is notable. For the reason that transfer was made so near sport time, the membership hasn’t relayed to reporters in the event that they take into account the harm extreme or count on a prolonged absence, but it surely’s all the time no less than a bit regarding when a pitcher’s throwing elbow is concerned. Wells underwent Tommy John surgical procedure in 2019 whereas within the minor leagues with the Twins. He was later chosen by the Orioles within the 2020 Rule 5 draft and has a 4.06 earned run common over 294 2/3 innings for the O’s since then.
The O’s have already got Kyle Bradish and John Means on the injured record, so Wells now makes it three starters on the shelf. Each Bradish and Means have began rehab assignments and may very well be again in a few weeks but it surely’s nonetheless going to be a difficult state of affairs for the O’s to navigate for a time.
Corbin Burnes, Cole Irvin, Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer at present occupy 4 spots within the Baltimore rotation however the membership will want somebody to switch Wells within the meantime. Bruce Zimmermann is already on the 40-man roster and final pitched within the minors on Thursday, so he’s maybe probably the most logical selection. Prospects like Cade Povich and Chayce McDermott are additionally in Triple-A however not at present on the 40-man roster.
Bañuelos, 27, can be making his main league debut if he can get right into a sport. He has spent most of his profession within the Twins’ system, spending time in Triple-A in 2021 and 2022. He was saved in Double-A final yr however carried out effectively, hitting .270/.369/.526. That led to a minor league cope with the O’s and he performed two Triple-A video games this yr however the final was on April 3 as he has seemingly been travelling with the massive league membership.
Soto, 24 in June, has been the unlucky centerpiece of a sport of sizzling potato between the Angels and Orioles in latest months. The O’s claimed him off waivers from the Halos in February however the Angels claimed him again just a few weeks later. Final week, the O’s claimed him but once more.
The younger infielder has a robust .375/.414/.531 batting line within the majors, although in a tiny pattern measurement of 71 plate appearances. In a bigger pattern measurement of 1,505 PAs within the minors because the begin of 2021, he’s hit .246/.340/.355 for a wRC+ of 86. However he’s able to stealing just a few bases and has bounced across the diamond, enjoying the three infield spots to the left of first base and even a short stint in heart discipline. Since he nonetheless has a few choice years remaining, Soto seems to be engaging as a flexible depth piece. The Orioles will now have one week to commerce him or cross him by way of waivers.