Orioles select contract of Tucker Davidson, option Baker; Bowman will start against Twins
MINNEAPOLIS—The Orioles selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Tucker Davidson from Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday and optioned right-hander Bryan Baker to the Sarasota spring training complex.
Now that the Orioles have clinched home-field advantage for the wild-card series that begins Tuesday, they can try to save some of their key arms for that best-of-three series with either Detroit or Kansas City.
They’ll be able to keep 13 pitchers on the roster for the wild-card round instead of the 14 they’re now carrying.
Davidson, who was a spring training invite, was 5-11 with a 3.89 ERA in 32 games, 17 starts, with Norfolk.
In 55 major leagues games with Atlanta, the Los Angeles Angels and Kansas City, Davidson, who has started 17 times, is 3-10 with a 5.98 ERA and two saves.
Baker was 1-1 with a 5.01 ERA in 19 games.
Albert Suárez would have been in line to start Saturday night’s game against Minnesota. After 210 relief appearances with seven teams, Matt Bowman will start for the Orioles. Bowman is 1-0 with a 3.77 ERA in 14 games with the Orioles.
The Orioles have not announced a starter for Sunday’s game.