The Orioles have claimed righty Vance Worley off waivers from the Pirates, according to a team announcement. Baltimore designated fellow right-hander Jorge Rondon to create roster space.
Worley, 28, is set to be eligible for arbitration for the second time. He earned $2.45MM last year as a Super Two player. Pittsburgh enjoyed a stunning turnaround season from Worley in 2014, as he contributed 110 2/3 innings of 2.85 ERA ball and set himself up for the aforementioned arb payday.
But Worley didn’t quite follow through last year, as he worked to a 4.02 ERA in 71 2/3 frames. Rises in his walk rate (2.6 BB/9, up from 1.8) and BABIP (.024 points higher) were contributors to that change. Worley ultimately made just eight starts for Pittsburgh.
Baltimore executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette explained that the club will wait to decide how best to utilize Worley, as Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports (Twitter links). “He’s had a couple good years,” said Duquette. “He’s durable, a good competitor, has good control. He’s just a dependable major league pitcher.”
In Rondon, the Orioles are giving up on a reliever who had not done much in limited chances at the MLB level, but who put up a promising 2.23 ERA over 60 2/3 innings at Triple-A last year (with 7.4 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9). Baltimore had claimed him early last year off waivers from the Rockies.
As a pirates fan, I cant say im surprised. I thought this was actually going to happen a lot earlier, but in a Worley for Snider swap. Best of luck Vance, thanks for 2014
Good, low budget move that fits Duquette to a *T*. I like it a bunch. Worley can be a perfect swingman and wanted Boston to claim the guy earlier last summer when the Pirates waived him.. Something the Sox pen dearly needed was people who could eat innings and get people out, not warm bodies like machi, Ramirez, Cook etc..
Worley has upside, not overpowering, just gets people out. The kind of guy Duquette will go after time and time again.