6:34pm: Zimmermann’s up, the Orioles announced.
11:44am: The Orioles have designated right-hander Asher Wojciechowski for assignment, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports (via Twitter). The team announced the move shortly thereafter, adding that righties Branden Kline and Evan Phillips are up for Game 1 of today’s doubleheader. Phillips is listed as the 29th man for the day.
It seems Wojciechowski’s 40-man roster spot will go to lefty Bruce Zimmermann. Kubatko tweets that Zimmermann is with the team, and MLB.com’s Joe Trezza reported last night that Zimmermann was being considered for his MLB debut on Thursday. The Orioles have since announced Zimmerman as the “probable” starter for the second game of today’s twin bill, so a move to formally add him to he roster will be made between the two games.
Acquired from the Indians in exchange for cash last July, Wojciechowski first looked to be a depth option to make a spot start or two but instead wound up holding down a spot on the pitching staff for more than a year. The 31-year-old appeared in 27 games for the O’s — 23 of them starts — and posted a 5.51 ERA with 8.4 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 30.2 percent grounder rate through 119 2/3 innings28. Wojciechowski’s K/BB numbers and swinging-strike rate were solid, but he proved far too susceptible to the long ball, surrendering 28 dingers in that time for an average of 2.11 per nine frames.
The 25-year-old Zimmermann was a fifth-round pick of the Braves back in 2017 but was traded to his hometown Orioles a year later in the deal that sent Kevin Gausman and Darren O’Day to Atlanta. He ranks as Baltimore’s No. 19 prospect on Baseball America’s midseason update and currently sits 25th on FanGraphs’ latest rankings of a much-improved Baltimore farm system. Both BA and FanGraphs list him as a potential back-of-the-rotation starter. Zimmermann sits 90-93 mph with his heater and has three secondary offerings, with his slider considered the best of the bunch.
Zimmermann split the 2019 season between Double-A and Triple-A, pitching to a combined 3.21 ERA with 8.6 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, 0.77 HR/9 and a 41.9 percent ground-ball rate. He’s not the highest-upside arm in the Orioles’ system — far from it — but Zimmermann still has a chance to either pitch at the back of the rotation or out of the bullpen for a good while in Baltimore. The team will control him through at least the 2026 season, though future optional assignments could push back his potential to reach free agency.
Wow. I know he’s awful, but I didn’t expect Asher to get the boot.
He was the only Orioles pitcher Atlanta seemed to hit this past series. I don’t know what’s up with our offense.
If your name can’t fit on a jersey, you get DFAed. That’s just the way it is.
It’s pronounced “saltalamacchia”
Theo?
cant believe he stuck around this long.
Have you seen the Orioles starters? I’m an Orioles’ fan and can’t believe he got taken out. He’s a warm body who actually goes out there every 5 days.
he had a 5.76 ERA in his career entering the year and his midling 2019 was actually the best year of hia career and probably him playing above his talent level. there are plenty of younger guys you can take a shot on that could outperform his ERA.
I think YOU haven’t really seen the starters. The starters this year weren’t amazing but they weren’t THAT bad. 20/30 in starters ERA and there are some young, talented arms up.
When I see this name I think of monsters inc
Take it Brewers, take it!!!
Wojciechowski out, Zimmerman in. Orioles doing a deft job of balancing name….they slim down some, but retain heft.
WoJo was a lot better when he was one of Barney Miller’s assistants….
But it shows the growth of the O’s organization, when they can shuttle a career tweener like Wojo and bring in a Zimmerman, who at least has some possibilities.
He can go down the road to help the Nationals run out their season and avoid long term injuries to any more pitchers. Unless their own Zimmerman wants his roster spot back too.
I don’t know many 25 year olds named Bruce.
Woj.
Bomb.
Can he pitch 6 without giving up 6 or more runs ? Philadelphia may want a word…
he has a career era out of the pen of 5.26, though he’s struggled in that role this year. that said, we could probably use someone to take at least one start. im a fan of the idea of trying to grab a “starter” off the waiver wire to plug in for a start and then designating them thereafter, given we lack optional BP arms to cycle. Erlin was an idea i thought if before he cleared, Woj isnt a superstar but maybe you can pray for 4 innings 2 runs and then send him out.
TWO REASONS for Asher’s DFA:
1). Neither the manager or any of the coaches were able to say his last name,
2). Not enough room to fit “WOJCIECHOWSKI” on the back of his jersey.
3). His name is Asher.
With the name “Asher”, no wonder he was torched !!