The Orioles placed infielder Jordan Westburg on the 10-day injured list with a broken right hand on Thursday. Westburg was hit by a pitch in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s 10-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. He was hit immediately before Jackson Holliday hit his first major league home run, a grand slam, and left the game after scoring.
To replace Westburg on the roster, the Orioles recalled left-handed hitting infielder Liván Soto, who was acquired by the team from Cincinnati on Tuesday. Soto was acquired along with outfielder Austin Slater. Outfielder Eloy Jiménez and starting pitcher Trevor Rogers were were also acquired on Tuesday — Jiménez from the Chicago White Sox and Rogers from Miami.
Soto was hitless in three at-bats with Cincinnati.
The Orioles optioned left-hander Keegan Akin and outfielder Heston Kjerstad to Triple-A Norfolk, and designated outfielder Cristian Pache for assignment.
Akin was one of just two Oriole relievers with options. He was 2-0 with a 3.34 ERA in 47 games. Kjerstad was optioned for the second time this season. He’s hitting .261 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 28 games. Pache, who was acquired from Philadelphia last Friday along with right-handed reliever Seranthony Dominguez in exchange for outfielder Austin Hays, was 1-for-1 in three games.
Jiménez was acquired from the Chicago White Sox along with cash considerations for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Soto and Slater were picked up from the Reds for cash considerations, and Rogers, who will start Thursday night’s game in Cleveland, was traded from Miami for infielder Connor Norby and outfielder Kyle Stowers.
Notes: Right-handed pitcher Vinny Nittoli, who was designated for assignment, refused an outright assignment to Norfolk and elected free agency. Right-hander Levi Stoudt was outrighted to Double-A Bowie.