The Orioles have picked left-hander Tucker Davidson from Triple-A Norfolk. In the following move, right-handed pitcher Bryan Baker was optioned to the team’s Spring Training complex.
Davidson has a 5.98 ERA in 125 career MLB innings with the Braves, Angels, and Royals from 2020 to 2023, and he was acquired by Baltimore via waiver claim from Kansas City’s roster in October. Davidson has spent the entire season at Triple-A, recording a 3.89 ERA, 20.7% strikeout rate, and 9.1% walk rate in 115 2/3 innings pitched.
Pitching largely as a reliever in the first half of the year, Davidson has started his last 11 Triple-A games with Norfolk, reverting to the rotation position he had for the majority of his three big league seasons before being almost solely used out of the bullpen with L.A. and Kansas City in 2023. It appears that the Orioles will start Davidson in tomorrow’s regular-season finale against the Twins, or at least give him a lot of innings to spare other pitchers’ arms for the playoffs. Baltimore has been locked into the top AL wild card seed, so the Orioles’ last two games will be all about staying healthy in preparation for their first postseason game Tuesday.
Baker’s option means he will not be eligible for the Wild Card or Division Series rosters if the Orioles progress. Baker’s 5.01 ERA in 23 1/3 relief innings this season made it unlikely that he would make the playoffs, even if his ERA was skewed by a very low 57% strand rate.
