BALTIMORE—Manager Brandon Hyde said the main reason for Thursday’s moves by the Orioles, which included sending starting pitcher Trevor Rogers to Triple-A Norfolk, are to get help for an overworked bullpen.
Rogers and right-handed reliever Colin Selby were sent to Norfolk. Rogers started Monday’s game against the New York Mets, and Selby pitched in Monday and Wednesday’s games and wasn’t available for Thursday’s game against Houston.
“Kind of where we are bullpen-wise,” Hyde said. “We feel like we needed some help in the bullpen, get some guys that are able to pitch tonight.”
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The Orioles promoted left-handed reliever Nick Vespi for the sixth time this season and purchased the contract of right-handed reliever Matt Bowman, who signed with the team on August 15th.
“I’m excited to be back,” Vespi said. “Any opportunity I can have up here is a good opportunity. I’m excited to help this team win.”
Vespi is 6-0 with a 3.96 ERA in 44 games over the past three years. At Norfolk, he had a 7.71 ERA.
“I’m never really surprised when I get an opportunity to come up here,” he said. “I wasn’t doing that well down there. It’s a different ballgame up here, and I’m focused on how well I can do up here and help this team win.”
On September 1st, the Orioles get to add another pitcher as the rosters expand to 28. Rogers, Selby and Dillon Tate, who was optioned on Wednesday, must stay in the minor leagues for 15 days unless replacing an injured pitcher. The Orioles want Rogers to work on some things.
“We want Trevor to stay ready and see what happens here,” Hyde said. “We’ll see how things shake out the next couple of weeks.”
Rogers was 0-2 with a 7.11 ERA in four starts since the Orioles acquired him on July 30th from Miami.
“The pitching guys definitely are putting together a plan [for Rogers],” Hyde said. “That’s happening today and they’ll communicate that well with the minor league staff and the guys at Triple-A, and there’ll be a set plan for him.
“I thought he threw the ball OK in New York. He’s got a good sinker. I thought the changeup was working well that night. We thought this was the right thing for the team.”
There will be at least one more bullpen move shortly. Left-hander Keegan Akin is expected back from paternity leave in next few days, Hyde said.
The Orioles also added infielder Emmanuel Rivera, who was claimed off waivers from Miami on Wednesday. Rivera is not in the starting lineup for Thursday night’s game.