The Orioles announced that right-hander Chris Vallimont has been claimed off waivers from the Twins. Vallimont was designated for assignment by Minnesota earlier this week. To open up a 40-man roster spot, Baltimore moved Alexander Wells (who is recovering from a UCL strain) to the 60-day injured list.
Vallimont was assigned to the Orioles’ Double-A affiliate, and the righty has a 6.71 ERA over 110 innings at the Double-A level in the Twins organization. The Marlins selected Vallimont in the fifth round of the 2018 draft, then swapped him along with Sergio Romo in the July 2019 trade that sent Lewin Diaz to Miami. After a solid 2019 season, Vallimont didn’t play in 2020 due to the canceled minor league campaign, and has since struggled in his return to the field.
A lack of control has been Vallimont’s biggest problem, as he has an ugly 15.85% walk rate over his 110 Double-A innings. However, the righty’s 28.3% strikeout rate surely caught Baltimore’s attention, and his Vallimont’s potential as reliever. Vallimont has started 62 of his 64 career games in the pros, and if he can’t get on track as a starting pitcher, his ability to miss bats could play well out of a bullpen.
3/5ths of Bowie’s starting pitching has hit the IL so it’s unsurprising that the O’s jumped on him just to throw some innings
@schwender. Agreed. 62 of his 64 appearances where starts. Our AA version of an innings eater.
Easier way to get a AA innings eater than claim him and take up a spot on the 40 man though. There has to be a level of intrigue with Vallimont
Sounds like the Twins and Marlins ripped each other off in that Romo deal
Nice nose ring! Lol
Sweet, a career 6.71 ERA in AA. Looks like a true difference maker.
Just a stupid comment
dude’s just not a good pitcher, that simple
He struck out 130 in 91 innings last year. Solid numbers before that.
Elias sees something that he’ll try to fix—maybe it’ll be a move to the pen. Who the hell knows. Most waiver claims amount to nothing but insulting one like this is dumb. It’s a no risk gamble w nothing but upside. This was an unoccupied 40 man slot
Yeah, and he also walks nearly 1 per inning, too.
Not as stupid as the move to get him. In a year or two this guy will be touted as the next gem to join the O’s roster and then when he completely bombs everyone who drank the kool-aid will be wondering what went wrong.
Your optimism is a true ray of sunshine, Eddie!
In a year or two, unless he takes off, won’t even be remembered
Maybe if the “rebuilds” for this franchise didn’t take 20+ years to finally show some signs of life and then be undone by an ownership group that won’t spend on the pitching it needs to actually get over the top, I’d have reason to be optimistic.
The names on the roster change, but the message never does.
You know nothing about baseball.
Jbigz44 why is the comment stupid? Because you think a 6.71 ERA in AA adds value? Please explain. None of the comments I ever see from you add value to the conversation, you just give your wonderful opinion of other comments without context.
There are plenty of guys who can strike out other guys but get knocked all over the yard or walk a parade. The Orioles have had plenty. I kind of remember them trying to fix Brad Pennington’s similar issue but at the MLB level about 20 years ago and that didn’t work.
This waiver claim most likely won’t work out because most do not.
He’s being used as a starter—maybe he’ll work out of the pen. Our closer and top set up man were failed starters. Keegan Akin looks good out of the pen now also. They see something in CV. We’ll see.
Sweet nose ring. Lmao!