SARASOTA, Fla. — The rain might have stopped Monday at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, but the roster moves from Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias didn’t.
For the third time in the past six days, Baltimore acquired a player for cash considerations and added him to the 40-man roster.
Monday, it was right-hander Kaleb Ort whom the Orioles exchanged for cash with the Philadelphia Phillies. To make room for Ort, a reliever with 51 2/3 big league innings, on the 40-man roster, the Orioles designated Peyton Burdick, an outfielder they acquired for cash considerations last week, for assignment.
Ort is the second reliever added to the roster in as many days after Baltimore traded for left-hander Matt Krook from the New York Yankees for cash considerations.
Ort, 32, began his professional career in the independent Frontier League in 2016. He caught on with the Yankees in 2017, pitching in their minor league system until the 2020 season. In 2021, he signed with the Boston Red Sox and was the organization’s Triple-A closer before making his MLB debut.
In 46 big league games with Boston over the past two seasons, the 6-foot-4 righty has posted a 6.31 ERA and 1.675 WHIP with a below-average walk rate and mediocre strikeout rate. He struck out 16 in 11 2/3 Triple-A innings in 2023 with a 1.54 ERA.
Ort enters a roster battle for about three open bullpen spots, assuming health. He will be competing with relievers Krook, Keegan Akin, Bryan Baker, Mike Baumann, Wandisson Charles, Tucker Davidson, Jonathan Heasley, Andrew Suárez, Dillon Tate, Nick Vespi and Jacob Webb. With one minor-league option remaining, Ort could be a reliever that is shuttled from Triple-A Norfolk to Baltimore throughout the season, as several of the club’s relievers are either too valuable to be optioned or have none remaining.
In the past 12 days, the Orioles have claimed infielder Liván Soto off waivers and designated him for assignment; traded for Burdick and designated him for assignment; claimed infielder Diego Castillo and designated him for assignment; and traded for Krook and Ort, keeping them on the 40-man roster — for now.
