8:49pm: Supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned after tonight’s win that the IL placement for Wells is precautionary (X link by way of 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 listing resulting from 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 project.
There’s some proof to recommend that this damage cropped up unexpectedly. Wells began for the O’s on Friday, tossing 90 pitches over 4 innings, and was scheduled to start out tomorrow’s recreation. 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 recommend that something is incorrect 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 one among Baltimore’s minor league golf equipment.
No matter when it went down, the damage to Wells is notable. For the reason that transfer was made so near recreation time, the membership hasn’t relayed to reporters in the event that they think about the damage extreme or count on a prolonged absence, however it’s at all times not 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 listing, so Wells now makes it three starters on the shelf. Each Bradish and Means have began rehab assignments and might be again in a few weeks however it’s nonetheless going to be a tough 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 interchange 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 alternative. Prospects like Cade Povich and Chayce McDermott are additionally in Triple-A however not at present on the 40-man roster.
Bañuelos, 27, will likely be making his main league debut if he can get right into a recreation. 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 12 months 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 12 months 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 recreation of scorching potato between the Angels and Orioles in current months. The O’s claimed him off waivers from the Halos in February however the Angels claimed him again a number of weeks later. Final week, the O’s claimed him but once more.
The younger infielder has a powerful .375/.414/.531 batting line within the majors, although in a tiny pattern dimension of 71 plate appearances. In a bigger pattern dimension of 1,505 PAs within the minors for the reason that begin of 2021, he’s hit .246/.340/.355 for a wRC+ of 86. However he’s able to stealing a number of bases and has bounced across the diamond, enjoying the three infield spots to the left of first base and even a quick stint in middle subject. 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 move him by means of waivers.