The Orioles announced this evening that Nick Maton cleared outright waivers. He accepted an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk instead of electing free agency. Baltimore had designated Maton and lefty Cole Irvin for assignment on Saturday; the Twins claimed Irvin off waivers.
Maton has had a pair of brief stints on the major league roster. He has picked up five at-bats, going hitless with a couple strikeouts. The 27-year-old infielder has had a strong year with Norfolk. Maton has hit 16 homers with an excellent 13.2% walk rate en route to a .261/.368/.477 slash in 86 games. He carries a .251/.367/.431 batting line in a little more than 1000 trips to the plate at the Triple-A level.
A former 7th-round pick by the Phillies, Maton went to the Tigers as part of the Gregory Soto trade return. He appeared in a career-high 93 games with Detroit last season but struggled on both sides of the ball. Maton hit .173/.288/.305 in 249 plate appearances. That and his out-of-options status have led teams to pass on claiming him for the second time this year.
Maton will stick around as non-roster infield depth. He’d be eligible for minor league free agency at the start of the offseason if the Orioles don’t call him back up.
Sorry, Nick. We hope to see you back on a major league roster soon.
– Carl Winslow
Ain’t going to be in Baltimore!
He probably has enough common sense to know that teams aren’t going to push each other out of the way to get him. May as well stay with a solid organization. Perhaps he’ll get a shot through injury or be included as a trade piece.
It’s not like my O’s are lighting up the base paths with runners. Apparently Mario Mendoza would be our MVP. I’m wondering if us trading Austin Hays killed morale?
Ever since the trade deadline the Baltimore Front Office has been in Full Panic Mode. I can’t believe all the transactions these guys have made and nothing seems to work. Took one too many chances promoting players that weren’t ready and ruined the chemistry of the team.
notagain27;
It started in late-June.
Yes, they got too cute. Alienated the veterans, gave playing time to youngsters that hadn’t earned it, They’ve missed Mateo – Gunner is responsible for his injury (view a replay of the injury, see where Gunner was when he ran into Mateo). Gunner has no business playing SS, but I understand the FO’s mentality on that as they have too many 2B’s and 3B’s when healthy.
The injuries started with the pitchers, and spread to the position players. That’s a problem. But pinch-hitting Mayo for Ryan O’Hearn because there was a LH pitcher on the mound was the last straw for me (and probably what’s left of Orioles veterans). Mayo should not be in a major league game other than to rest a veteran for a game already out of hand.- particularly for a team in a pennant race in September. Holliday is not much better that this point.
Have been a big backer of the O’s rebuild. But their FO really blew how they approached the 2024 season, and I’m surprised at what they did. Stopped watching their games regularly sometime in July (too many other good teams to follow – Brewers are doing what I thought the O’s would be doing).
Bottom line….
September is “Winning Time’. I have my doubts the O’s even make the playoffs as a WC team. Tigers and Mariners are surely better than them. Depends how the schedule shakes out.
Back in late 2018, early 2019 the new Os FO devised a long term plan. Honestly, I just think they got caught off guard here.
No way in holy heck did they imagine the winning would start in 22! And winning with a bunch of veteran position players like Hays, Mullins, Santander along with the Hicks addition. And from the scrap heap; Mateo and Urias.
In 23, outside of Adley and Gunnar, vets were carrying this team. So here it is 24 and, injuries aside, a dilemma for the FO. Stick with what got you 101 wins last year or plow ahead with that plan devised in 2018/19. Hayes, Mullins, Mateo and Urias got abused here. Platooned way too much or forced to play out of position as were others so to get prospects their shot. I respect the FO for going this rout@, … Chemistry off.
I went to the game last night at OPACY. Team looked disinterested. Moral problem?
“Team looked disinterested. Moral problem?”
C Yards Jeff;
I saw it in the Ranger series in late-June when the O’s won the series, but the Rangers outplayed them.
It seemed to me that word had gotten around to the veterans that they were being phased out. Up till then the team was winning. Since then they’re a bit below .500. I definitely saw a change in Hays. Sure, he was injured some. But his attitude changed. Reminded me of working for companies where word spread around that layoffs were coming. The veterans were wining, but were clearly being phased out.
This is NOT what the Astros did as their youngsters came up In the same vein, Correa was not only a brilliant young SS when he came up and led the Astros, he was also a student of the game. Understood the subtilties of baseball and led the team. Gunner is a guy with exceptional talent that his teammates respect and at times are awed by. But he isn’t leading them. He plays SS like a football player – something I’ve seen in OF’s over the past 2-3 decades – think Grady Sizemore and a young Bryce Harper. They ran around with no discipline or sense of what was around the, Ran into fences, made stupid throws, and were bad baserunners. Don’t recall ever seeing that in a starting SS
Add in that the league seems to have caught up with Cowser (among others) and I’m wondering where they go from here. Doesn’t mater what happens the rest of the season. In their end of season review the FO needs to start with evaluating what they did. If they hide behind the injures they’re cooked.
Samuel;
Gunnar; oof. Plays SS like Roquan Smith plays ILB for the Ravens.
Offensively Cowser needs to make some adjustments. Looks like the league has figured him out. Defensively, I like him.
I admire the FO for sticking to their long term plan. That said; when you win 100+ games maybe stick with the position players, injuries aside, that got your there. Hit the pause button on prospect promotions as much as you can. Easier said than done.
I am a fan of this FO. And anxious to see how the new owner approaches the off season.
Injuries, injuries, injuries,….. That’s the beginning and end of discussion. When you lose 3/5 of your starters. Then lose starting 3rd, 1st, and 2nd is hard to come back from on the position end. In a perfect world Mayo, and Holliday wouldn’t be on the rosters till they expanded.
dcfan78;
Don’t agree.
The plan was clearly to bring up Mayo and Holiday during the season. Elias said as much around the All-Star break. Injuries
had nothing to do with it.
@ dcfan78; ugh; these injuries r like a thousand razor cuts but not a death nil. You got team chemistry, you gotta shot at winning every night.
I noticed something amiss during the Cleveland series at OPACY in June. I chaulk it up to too much platooning action. Just think, you play for the Orioles and from game to game you’re driving in to OPACY not only wondering if you’re starting but where. That gets old.
Should have traded Holliday for Snell
No.
Just sitting around waiting for the “Orioles release Kimbrel” article.
Not coming.
They need him to do what he did last night – get shelled in a
lost game but kept pitching till he got 3 outs….mop-up duty.
That rested the guys in the bullpen that can get MLB hitters
out where they would have had to pitch for no reason.
It will happen now after his DFA