Orioles Select Josh Walker
The Orioles announced that they have selected left-hander Josh Walker to their roster. Right-hander Trey Gibson was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding active roster move. To open a 40-man spot, outfielder Heston Kjerstad was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
Walker, 31, has generally put up good numbers in the minors but has struggled in limited big league opportunities. He finished last season on Baltimore’s roster after they claimed him off waivers in August. They then signed him to a major league deal for 2026 and designated him for assignment a few days later. That may seem like a strange sequence but the O’s were presumably hoping that the salary, which has not been publicly reported, was enough to get him through waivers to be stashed as non-roster depth. This didn’t immediately pay off, as Atlanta claimed him in November. Baltimore was able to claim him back in December and then finally outrighted him in January.
He has tossed 14 1/3 innings for Norfolk this year, allowing 4.40 earned runs per nine. That ERA doesn’t jump off the page but he has perhaps deserved better. His 8.9% walk rate is around average while his 28.6% strikeout rate and 51.5% ground ball rate are both comfortably better than par. His 61.6% strand rate in that small sample is on the unfortunate side, which may have pushed some extra runs across, which is why his 3.48 FIP is roughly a run better than his ERA.
As mentioned, Walker has often done well in the minors without major league success. He has a 6.59 ERA in 27 1/3 big league innings. But dating back to the start of 2022, he has thrown 146 minor league innings with a 3.95 ERA. His 11.4% walk rate in that sample is high but he paired that with a 30.3% strikeout rate. He will now give the Orioles a fourth lefty in their bullpen alongside Keegan Akin, Dietrich Enns and Grant Wolfram. Walker still has one option remaining and can be easily sent back to Norfolk in the future.
Kjerstad has been on the 10-day IL all season due to a right hamstring strain. His 60-day count is retroactive to that initial IL placement, so he’ll be eligible for reinstatement in a few weeks. He began a rehab assignment on Saturday. Rehab assignment for position players can last 20 days, so the length of that rehab assignment roughly aligns with his IL timeline. If he is able to come off the IL later this month, he still has an option and could be bound for more time in the minors.
Photo courtesy of Morgan Tencza, Imagn Images
AL East Notes: Contreras, Suarez, Barger, Rogers, Cole
X-rays were negative on Willson Contreras‘ right hand after the Red Sox first baseman was hit by a 94mph pitch from Nick Martinez. The bruised hand forced Contreras out of the game after the first inning, and Sox interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters (including the Boston Globe’s Tim Healey) that it isn’t yet known if Contreras will undergo an MRI or more in-depth testing. The Red Sox don’t play on Monday, so Tracy said the team will use the off-day to “kind of reevaluate and see how he feels.”
Contreras is off to a flying start in his first season in Boston, hitting .259/.380/.467 with eight homers through 166 plate appearances. The veteran first baseman has been one of the few bright spots in an underachieving Red Sox lineup, so the offense will be further hampered if Contreras has to spend any time on the injured list.
More from around the AL East…
- In other Red Sox news, Tracy said the teams plans to start Ranger Suarez on Thursday against the Phillies, Suarez’s former team. Suarez hasn’t pitched since a hamstring strain forced him out of his last start on May 3, but it appears as though the left-hander has avoided the injured list. After something of a dicey start to the season, Suarez has a sparking 1.17 ERA over his last five starts and 30 2/3 innings.
- Just one game after being activated from the Blue Jays‘ 10-day injured list, Addison Barger was scratched from today’s lineup and will undergo an MRI on his right elbow, Jays manager John Schneider told Sportsnet and other media. The elbow issue may have arisen from Barger’s tremendous throw from right field that nabbed Jorge Soler at the plate in Saturday’s game. That contest was just Barger’s ninth game of the season, as an ankle sprain sidelined the outfielder/third baseman for over a month.
- Trevor Rogers won’t come off the 15-day IL when first eligible tomorrow, but the left-hander believes he could be back Tuesday or Wednesday during the rest of the Orioles’ series with the Yankees. Rogers was placed on the IL while dealing with a rough case of the flu, and he told MLB.com’s Jake Rill that he doesn’t believe he’ll need a rehab start after throwing a “simulated bullpen” session on Saturday. In another Baltimore injury update, Heston Kjerstad started a minor rehab league assignment this weekend. The outfielder has yet to play this season due to a hamstring strain suffered in Spring Training.
- Gerrit Cole allowed two earned runs on four hits and a walk over five innings in today’s rehab start with Double-A Somerset. Cole recorded eight strikeouts over the 77-pitch outing, which was the fifth start of Cole’s rehab assignment. Greg Joyce of the New York Post writes that Cole is expected to make one or two more rehab starts before being activated from the Yankees’ injured list, which would make it a little over 14 month since Cole underwent a Tommy John surgery in March 2025.
Orioles Claim Christian Roa
The Orioles have claimed right-hander Christian Roa off waivers from the Twins and optioned him to Triple-A, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. With the transaction, Roa takes the 40-man roster spot of Lou Trivino, who was designated for assignment earlier in the day.
The Twins designated Roa for assignment on Wednesday to clear space on their 40-man roster for Yoendrys Gómez. He had been with the Astros prior to being claimed by Minnesota on April 23rd. As the Orioles have now done, the Twins optioned Roa to Triple-A immediately after claiming him, so his seven big league appearances in 2026 have all come with the Astros. Roa has a 5.19 ERA in 8 2/3 innings in those games, walking more hitters than he’s struck out and posting expected numbers that are even higher than his ERA. In total, Roa has only thrown 11 2/3 innings in the Majors between the Marlins and Astros from 2025-26.
He had some success in the minors last year. In 60 1/3 innings with the Marlins’ top affiliate, Roa had a 2.83 ERA. His 26.1% strikeout rate was solid, though he also walked 11.4% of hitters and gave up an unsustainably low .224 batting average in balls in play. In terms of stuff, Roa averages in the mid-90s on his four-seamer and sinker, while he uses an upper-80s slider about a third of the time. His age and limited big league track record make him a fringe reliever at this point, albeit one with decent velocity.
Roa has less than a year of service time and comes with two remaining option years. He can be brought up if the Orioles need a fresh arm and then sent back down without needing to be designated for assignment. Roa has been outrighted before, so if he is designated anyway and clears waivers, he would have the option to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency.
Photo courtesy of Steven Bisig, Imagn Images
Orioles Designate Lou Trivino For Assignment, Recall Jose Espada
The Orioles have designated right-hander Lou Trivino for assignment, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. Right-hander Jose Espada is being recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding active roster move. With this news, the club’s 40-man roster is at 39 players.
Trivino had only signed a major league deal with Baltimore six days ago. He appeared in two games with radically different results. On May 4th against the Yankees, Trivino got lit up for six earned runs on four hits and three walks while recording just two outs. He was much better yesterday against the Athletics, striking out three hitters in 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Trivino’s designation suggests that the club was only looking for a short-term solution in the bullpen, or that they were not confident in his abilities after the May 4th blow-up. In any case, the move allows Baltimore to swap out Trivino for a fresh arm in Espada.
Trivino has well over seven years of service time and has been designated for assignment in the past. If he clears waivers, he is likely to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency. That would continue Trivino’s journeyman pattern from 2025. He pitched for the Athletics and Yankees from 2018-22, but he did not appear in the Majors from 2023-24 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Trivino split last year between the Giants, Dodgers, and Phillies, posting a decent 3.97 ERA with middling peripherals. The Phillies re-signed Trivino to a minor league pact in February, and he opted out on May 1. He had pitched well with the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate, which led the Orioles to give Trivino a major league deal. If and when he clears waivers, Trivino figures to land another opportunity on a minors deal.
The Orioles’ bullpen has been a mixed bag this year. Their 4.56 ERA puts the group in the bottom ten in the Majors, although their 3.87 xERA paints a slightly more favorable picture. Rico Garcia and Yennier Cano both have ERAs below 1.50, while Grant Wolfram has a shiny 0.98 FIP and may be due for positive regression on his 4.85 ERA. The group is generally devoid of difference-makers, though, and the addition of Espada won’t change that. The 29-year-old has only thrown five innings in the Majors from 2023-26. In 12 2/3 innings at Triple-A in 2026, Espada has a 5.68 ERA and is walking more hitters than he’s striking out. He has two options remaining and can be sent down when the Orioles need a fresh arm.
Photo courtesy of James A. Pittman, Imagn Images
Orioles To Give Jackson Holliday Reps At Third Base During Rehab
Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday is expected to start at third base for Double-A Chesapeake on Sunday. It’ll be his third professional appearance at the hot corner. Holliday is working his way back from a hamate bone fracture. The 22-year-old has been almost exclusively a second baseman at the big-league level.
“We talked to him, see where his head is at, and he was for it,” manager Craig Albernaz told reporters, including Roch Kubatko of MASN. “I think if you look at our roster, versatility is something that we need.”
Holliday was one of three notable hamate injuries in the spring, along with Francisco Lindor and Corbin Carroll. While Lindor and Carroll were ready for Opening Day, Holliday has struggled to make it back to the majors. He’s had his rehab paused multiple times due to soreness in his surgically repaired hand. Holliday was in the Baysox lineup on Thursday after a two-week absence from minor league action.
It’s been three years since Holliday has appeared at third base. He played there for one game apiece at High-A and Double-A during the 2023 campaign. Holliday has made 188 starts at second base as a big leaguer. He’s made seven starts at shortstop. The defensive metrics have not been kind to Holliday. He posted -10 Defensive Runs Saved as Baltimore’s primary second baseman in 2025. Holliday ranked in the 5th percentile with -8 Outs Above Average. He’s been worth -2 DRS in his limited time at shortstop.
The Orioles haven’t just been missing Holliday in the infield this season. Third baseman Jordan Westburg has yet to suit up after being diagnosed with a partial UCL tear during Spring Training. He was recently shut down from baseball activities due to elbow pain, per Kubatko. Albernaz relayed that Westburg has a follow-up appointment on Monday.
Holliday’s injury opened up playing time for Jeremiah Jackson. The 26-year-old got off to a strong start as the primary option at the keystone. Jackson had a .768 OPS at the end of April, punctuated by a grand slam on the final day of the month. He’s just 3-for-23 so far in May, but he’s mostly held his own as an everyday player. Jackson has been worth 4 DRS at second base.
It hasn’t gone so well for Westburg’s replacement. Coby Mayo is hitting .163 with a 29.9% strikeout rate through 33 games. The 24-year-old has the seventh-lowest wRC+ (42) among hitters with at least 100 plate appearances. Mayo has posted -3 DRS at third base. He’s now at -7 DRS in 42 big-league games at the position. Weston Wilson and Blaze Alexander have also chipped in at third base, with uninspiring offensive results.
Getting Holliday up to speed at third base would give Albernaz the option to keep Jackson in the lineup. Jackson himself has big-league experience at the hot corner, but Baltimore may prefer to keep his glove at second base. At the very least, it’ll add some lineup flexibility once Holliday is ready to return.
Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz, Imagn Images
Orioles Place Cade Povich On 15-Day Injured List
The Orioles placed Cade Povich on the 15-day injured list yesterday due to left elbow inflammation, and right-hander Trey Gibson was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move. Gibson threw two innings of relief in Friday’s 4-3 Orioles loss to the Athletics, so it doesn’t appear as if Gibson will directly fill in for Povich as Baltimore’s rotation remains in a state of flux.
Povich is one of four O’s starters currently on the IL, with Zach Eflin on the 60-day version after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Trevor Rogers is probably the likeliest candidate to step back into the starting five in Povich’s place, as Rogers is eligible to be activated on Monday and seems to be recovering well from the illness that sent him to the sidelines.
It may be that Povich also won’t be out for too long, as Baltimore manager Craig Albernaz told reporters (including MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko) that Povich’s discomfort is on the outside of his left elbow, more in the triceps area. Povich underwent an MRI to examine the problem and he may get a cortisone shot to aid in the healing process.
The IL stint is no surprise given that the elbow issue forced Povich out of his last start on Wednesday after only three innings and 58 pitches. The southpaw has made three starts (and four total appearances) due to the Orioles’ swath of pitching injuries, but hasn’t looked particularly sharp in posting a 5.12 ERA, a middling 8.5% walk rate, and only a 14.6% strikeout rate over 19 1/3 innings of work. Povich did well in his first two outings but has given up eight runs in his last seven frames, though his sore elbow certainly contributed to the three runs he surrendered to the Marlins on Wednesday.
Orioles Outright Albert Suárez
The Orioles announced this evening that righty Albert Suárez accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk. He cleared waivers after being designated for assignment on Saturday. Suárez has the service time and previous outright to elect free agency but decided to remain with the O’s as non-roster rotation or long relief depth.
This is Suárez’s third season with the organization. He was a nice find as a minor league signee who had spent the 2019-23 campaigns in Asia. Suárez surprisingly held a rotation spot for a good chunk of the ’24 season, working to a 3.70 earned run average across 133 2/3 innings. He spent most of last year rehabbing a shoulder strain and dealt with forearm discomfort at the end of the season.
The injuries limited Suárez to 11 2/3 MLB frames in 2025. The Orioles non-tendered him as a result, though they brought him back on a minor league deal. He has had a couple stints at the MLB level this season, working 15 2/3 innings over six appearances. His 3.45 ERA isn’t bad on the surface, but Suárez has also allowed four unearned runs and has as many walks as strikeouts (nine apiece).
Baltimore has preferred Suárez in a relief role at the MLB level over the past year-plus. The rotation has taken a few injury hits that could eventually open an opportunity for him to make a spot start or two. Suárez is out of options, so there’s a decent chance he’ll go through the selection/outright cycle a few times over the course of the year.
Orioles To Sign Lou Trivino To Major League Deal
4:15pm: Right-hander Trey Gibson has been optioned to make room on the active roster for Trivino, per Jake Rill of MLB.com.
3:35pm: The Orioles have signed right-hander Lou Trivino to a major league deal, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Pro Edge Sports Management client just opted out of a minor league deal with the Phillies a few days ago. Baltimore has an open 40-man spot and doesn’t need to make a corresponding move in that regard. They will have to open an active roster spot.
Trivino, 34, signed a minor league deal with the Phillies in the offseason. The veteran finished the 2025 season on Philly’s big league roster and became an an Article XX(B) free agent, which essentially means he was a standard free agent, one who has at least six years of service time and wasn’t signed for the following season. When those players sign minor league deals, they come with automatic opt-outs five days before Opening Day, May 1st and June 1st.
The Phils didn’t break camp with Trivino on the roster but he skipped his first opt-out chance and reported to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He put up excellent numbers for the IronPigs, giving them 13 innings with a 2.77 earned run average. His 35.7% strikeout rate, 7.1% walk rate and 50% ground ball rate were all above-average numbers. He triggered the second opt-out in his deal and the Phillies let him go.
The Orioles will take advantage and scoop Trivino up from the open market. Trivino’s recent Triple-A work is a small sample but the veteran also has a solid track record. In 332 1/3 big league innings, he has a 3.87 ERA, 23.5% strikeout rate, 10.4% walk rate and 45.3% ground ball rate. He has 37 saves and 57 holds in his career.
Injuries prevented him from appearing in the majors in 2023 or 2024. He was back in the bigs last year, though with slightly diminished results. His 3.97 ERA was fine but his 17.9% strikeout rate and 33.8% ground ball rate were both below league average and shy of his previous career numbers. His results so far in 2026, though in a small sample in the minor leagues, are an encouraging sign that he can get back to his previous form now that he’s further removed from his injury woes.
The Orioles have been hit hard by injuries this year, with 11 players currently on the injured list. That includes four relievers. They have known since last year that Félix Bautista would miss most or all of the 2026 campaign due to shoulder surgery. They signed Ryan Helsley to take over the closer’s job but now he’s on the IL with elbow inflammation. Yaramil Hiraldo and Colin Selby are also on the shelf.
It’s a fairly wide open bullpen mix. Hopefully, Trivino can provide a stabilizing veteran presence. If the O’s want to bump him off the roster in the future, he has enough service time where he can’t be optioned to the minors without his consent.
Photo courtesy of Eric Hartline, Imagn Images
Orioles Promote Trey Gibson
May 3: The Orioles officially selected Gibson’s contract for his big-league debut against the Yankees, per a team announcement. Left-hander Nick Raquet was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.
May 2: Trey Gibson was added to the Orioles’ taxi squad earlier today, and manager Craig Albernaz confirmed to reporters (including the Baltimore Banner’s Andy Kostka) that the O’s would be officially selecting the right-hander’s contract to the active roster on Sunday. The Orioles have available space on their 40-man roster, so just a 26-man move will be required to add Gibson before he makes his MLB debut in a start against the Yankees. Kostka was the first to report earlier today that Gibson was joining the Orioles this weekend in New York.
Since an illness sent Trevor Rogers to the 15-day injured list on Wednesday, a fill-in starter of some kind was needed to take Rogers’ next turn in the rotation. The pitching staff was then further scrambled by a doubleheader against the Astros on Thursday, so the O’s opted to promote Gibson since the right-hander would be on regular rest following his last Triple-A outing on April 26.
Facing Aaron Judge and company is a tough draw for any pitcher, let alone a 23-year-old in his first big league game. Gibson arrives in the Show on the heels of only okay (4.01 ERA, 21.9% strikeout rate, 10.5% walk rate, 52.1% grounder rate) numbers across 24 2/3 Triple-A innings this season, but most of the damage done against Gibson came in his first two starts. Since that slow start, the righty has posted a 2.55 ERA over his last five outings.
Gibson would probably have been drafted out of high school in 2020 if that year’s pandemic-shortened draft hadn’t been only five rounds long, so he instead went to play college ball at Liberty, but then went undrafted after an undistinguished college career. The Orioles signed him as a free agent in the summer of 2023, and Gibson has since emerged as one of baseball’s better pitching prospects. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel slotted Gibson 46th on his preseason top-100 list, and Baseball America also had the right-hander 72nd on their preseason ranking.
Gibson’s arsenal is at least six pitches deep, with BA assigning at least a 55 grade to four of his offerings. His ability to fully command the majority of these pitches remains a question, yet working with the Orioles’ coaching staff to narrow his pitch mix down to just the cream of the crop might help Gibson’s chances of remaining as a starter in the majors. Gibson has generated a lot of grounders at every level of the minors and also racked up quite a few strikeouts, though a career 3.99 ERA in the minors indicates that Gibson’s deep pitching repertoire hasn’t entirely fooled minor league hitters.
With Rogers, Dean Kremer, and (out for the season) Zach Eflin all on the injured list, Baltimore has already been forced to dive deeper into its pitching depth chart than expected, even if Gibson was probably on track to make his MLB debut at some point in 2026 anyway. Brandon Young and Cade Povich remain the favorites for starting duty until at least Rogers is back, but since Kremer will likely miss most or all of May recovering from a quad strain, there could be room for Gibson to impress if he pitches well in this spot start.
Orioles Designate Albert Suarez, Option Tyler Wells
The Orioles announced four roster moves this morning, including the news that right-hander Albert Suarez has been designated for assignment. Righty Tyler Wells was also optioned to Triple-A, while left-hander Nick Raquet was called up from Triple-A. Left-hander Dietrich Enns was also activated from the 15-day injured list.
Perhaps the most intriguing transaction is still to come, as The Baltimore Banner’s Andy Kostka reported earlier today that top pitching prospect Trey Gibson is joining the team in New York. Gibson is on the Orioles’ taxi squad for now, but he could be officially selected to make his MLB debut in a start tomorrow at Yankee Stadium.
This is second time in a week that the O’s have designated Suarez. The righty’s first trip through DFA limbo saw him clear waivers, elect free agency over an outright assignment, and then quickly re-sign with Baltimore on a new minor league contract. That new deal was then promptly selected back to the 26-man roster yesterday when Ryan Helsley was placed on the 15-day IL, and Suarez threw 2 2/3 innings in Friday’s 7-2 Orioles loss to the Yankees.
Wells also threw 25 pitches over 1 1/3 innings of relief work yesterday, so today’s moves are largely about getting some fresh arms into the bullpen with the O’s having a quick turn-around of an afternoon game after Friday’s night game. Between Wells’ work last night and his two remaining minor league options, he was a logical candidate to be sent down on paper, even if the move is a surprise given how the righty has been both pitching well and something of a roster fixture.
Wells has a 3.44 ERA, 23.7% strikeout rate, and 5.3% walk rate over 18 1/3 relief innings this season. After working mostly as a regular starter in 2022-23, Wells missed most of the next two seasons due to a UCL surgery, and the Orioles chose to deploy him as a multi-inning reliever this year since their rotation was full.
The option means that Wells has to spend a minimum of 15 days at Triple-A before he is eligible to be recalled, unless Baltimore has another injury vacancy in the interim. Given how the Orioles have been bitten hard by the injury bug this year, it’s probably safe to assume that Wells will be back in the Show before that 15-day span is up.
Another swift reunion between Suarez and the O’s also can’t be ruled out, assuming Suarez clears waivers again. Suarez could again decline an outright assignment and test the open market just to weigh his options, or Suarez and the Orioles may have a handshake agreement already in place to bring the righty back on another minors deal in due course.
Enns returns to action after a foot infection kept the southpaw on the IL for almost a month. Enns rejoins a Baltimore pen that now has an equal amount of lefties and righties, as Enns and Raquet join Keegan Akin and Grant Wolfram as the left-handed contingent of the relief mix. Even with Enns activated, the Orioles still have seven other pitchers and 11 total players on their swollen injured list.