The Orioles acquired a veteran left-handed starter on Thursday, picking up Cole Irvin from the Oakland Athletics. Irvin and right-handed pitcher Kyle Virbitsky were traded to the Orioles for minor league infielder Darell Hernaiz.
Irvin, who will turn 29 on Tuesday, was 9-13 with a 3.98 earned-run average for Oakland with a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.160 last season. In four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and A’s, Irvin was 21-30 with a 4.40 ERA.
He gives the Orioles a left-handed starter while John Means begins the 2023 season on the injured list after last April’s Tommy John surgery.
Virbitsky was Oakland’s 17th-round draft pick in 2021 and was 7-7 with a 4.63 ERA for Single-A Stockton and High-A Lansing.
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Hernaiz was the Orioles’ fifth-round draft pick in 2019. Last season, he hit .273 with 12 home runs and 62 RBIs for Single-A Delmarva, High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Bowie. He was rated 16th on MLB Pipeline’s top 30 Oriole prospects.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Irvin, the Orioles designated left-handed pitcher Darwinzon Hernandez for assignment.