The Orioles announced that first baseman Lewin Díaz has cleared outright waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. He will stick in the organization but without taking up a roster spot.
This move will finally bring some semblance of stability to a wild offseason for Díaz, who recently turned 26. He began the offseason with the Marlins but was designated for assignment in November. He was claimed off waivers by the Pirates but they then designated him a week later. The Orioles claimed him in early December but only kept him on the roster for another three weeks, giving him his third DFA in the span of about a month. He was traded to the Braves for cash, though they gave him his fourth DFA of the winter about a week after that. The Orioles claimed him a second time in early January and then designated him once more last week, though Díaz has finally passed through unclaimed this time. Though Díaz would have probably liked to have held a roster spot, he now at least knows which team’s Spring Training camp he’ll be reporting to next month.
The O’s have seemingly been hellbent on stashing some left-handed non-roster depth this winter. They acquired Ryan O’Hearn from the Royals for cash considerations and later passed him through waivers and have now got Díaz through as well. Both those players will seemingly be battling each other for the right to get back onto the roster at some point when injuries or underperformance from other players make it necessary. For now, the club will be going into the season with right-handed hitting Ryan Mountcastle as the primary option at first base, with the designated hitter role likely going to Anthony Santander or one of the other outfielders.
Díaz has been somewhat inconsistent in his career thus far, with his strengths making him just appealing enough to get interest from multiple clubs around the league but his weaknesses preventing him from clinging to a roster spot for long. On the strong side, he’s an excellent defender at first base. In 112 big league games thus far, he’s registered 16 Defensive Runs Saved and nine Outs Above Average, while Ultimate Zone Rating has given him a 3.4. He’s also hit very well in the minors over the past couple of seasons. In 156 Triple-A games in 2021 and 2022, he’s hit 39 home runs and produced a batting line of .250/.325/.504 for a wRC+ of 115.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to come close to that in the majors thus far. Through 343 plate appearances in the big leagues, he’s hit 13 home runs but walked at a paltry 5.5% rate and slashed .181/.227/.340 for a wRC+ of 54. He’s also now out of options, meaning he provides less roster flexibility going forward.
Those factors have all combined to send Díaz on the strange ordeal he’s endured over the past few months. Several teams have been enticed by his glove and strong minor league offense, but his major league track record has continually squeezed him off rosters. After months of being passed around, the next steps are much more clear. He’ll report to the O’s and try to get back to the big leagues, either for Opening Day or at some point as the season goes along.
I’ll bet Diaz was happy to see he will “stick” with the organization. One of the most travelled people in America, without leaving his recliner…
Instead of that recliner, he’ll probably need a shrink’s couch for the emotional toll of being treated like chattel.
Players should get a couple thousand bucks everytime they’re claimed.
5k a pop isn’t much to a MLB team but would’ve been a nice little bonus to Diaz for each claim.
He’s being waived because he sucks so the 5k a pop to each sucky player matters to an MLB team. He isn’t good enough to stick on the 40 man so, no.
I think thats the point BStrowman was making. teams now have to weigh the opportunity cost and likelihood that they will keep him on the 40 vs just blindly claiming anyone on the waiver wire
The MLBPA is working on this issue from something I read a while back. Oftentimes the guys that ride the DFA rollercoaster have never made much money, and some of them have young families. The cost to uproot…break leases…transport and relocate and such is a big deal to them. So yeah…some limited cash for – say – every DFA after the first time in a season would be very helpful.
I say a single buck until they work on their skills a lil more.
You all should read Drew Robinson’s suicide attempt story.
I saw it when it first came out. Well done article; pretty courageous dude to bring it out the way that he did.
Already know about it. That’s someone that’s not headstrong. We all have to pickup our families in a moments notice in the military. He shouldn’t be playing ball if he doesn’t know mlbs rules on waiver claims.
Miserable dude.
There’s benefits in the military for being married too. Combat pay also. Really the same type concept here if you got your head out of your ass.
Not a dude but thanks 😉 and players that ride the DFA train are players that have been on the big league roster aka 570k minimum pay. Maybe get your head out of your ass and you would see that.
And thanks for reporting my comment kitty cat. Worried about what a woman has to say, I see huh.
No more DFA’s for Lewin.
The only player who I can think of that had three DFAs in one season was Dallas Keuchel in 2022. The White DFA’d him after he posted a 7.88 ERA. Arizona picked him up. After two starts he had an ERA of 9.64 and was DFAd again. Not convinced by his pitching performances with his last two teams, the Rangers took a chance on him. He was DFA’d again after posting a 12.60 ERA.
Man I was at Kuechel VS Boston and it was ugly. No life in anything he threw
Adam Rosales got DFA’d and claimed like five times between the Rangers and A’s a few years ago.
In 2012 DFA wasn’t as liberally used as it is now, so Steve Pearce wasn’t subjected to the DFA carousel. He was, however, moved six times during the 2012 season with a series of releases, waivers, and purchases. Dude probably didn’t even bother to unpack his suitcase all season…
Yep! Liked him with the O’s. Every time they lost him, I just had to wait a little for his return. They acquired him twice that season. They also released him during the 2014 season and re-signed him later in the year. Then when he signed with Tampa Bay in 2016, the O’s traded Jonah Heim for him.
Avenger, I think Ryan Weber was DFA’d 3X in the same month by the Yankees this past season. It was June or July.
O’s have zero 1B depth, will be a nice stash in Norfolk. Also funny the Braves paid them to end up taking him back
THE SAGA IS FINALLY OVER.
Until tomorrow, when he’s traded to Cincinatti for a PTBNL.
…or cash considerations.
Next story: The Norfolk Tides designate Lewin Díaz for assignment.
That would be so funny, MU. Your comment made me laugh. Thank you.
Nah he’ll get traded for cash considerations, placed on the 40 man and designated for assignment the following week.
It. Is. Over.
Trade Mountcastle for some SP and let Diaz, O’Hearn, Cordero, and Lester battle it out for the 1B spot.
Ummmm… NOPE!
Ummmmm…. NOT A Chance!
I am seriously sad the Braves didn’t reclaim him!!
Love the author’s comment about the DFA shenanigans:. “The O’s have seemingly been hellbent on stashing some left-handed non-roster depth this winter.”
All I can imagine is Elias as a squirrel stashing acorns for the winter.
About time. Jk. Must stink to be in limbo.. go tear up the kbo
I love that movie, “Inside Lewin Diaz”.
So trade a passibly decent First Baseman with some pop to create a competition between 4 AAAA players?
Yes
Welcome home Lewin! How was the trip?!
Now that he’s been officially outrighted off a 40 man roster he won’t be obligated to accept an assignment the rest of his career.
He prob has more chance of seeing the Bigs again for the O’s platooning at 1B with Mountcastle if he can have himself a Jake Fox Spring Training this year.
I know “money” is peanuts to mlb teams but I just find it funny how the braves paid the orioles for a guy and then dfa’d a few days later.
I like Darragh’s suggestion of moving Santander to fulltime DH. Switch hitter. No need to platoon. RF? The longer Profar sits out there in free agent land, the cheaper he becomes. Can Elias get him on a one year deal?
Profar sticks or plays the bridge/gap filler role. Our prospect troops are still a yr or so away. Yes? Guys like Stowers and Cowsers get sprinkled in to the action in 23. And Vavra is the super utility guy covering infield and outfield duties.
Orioles the Kings of DFA wins this off-season!