Orioles Designate Josh Walker For Assignment

The Orioles announced Friday that they’ve designated lefty Josh Walker for assignment. His spot on the roster will go to newly acquired right-hander Shane Baz, whose previously reported acquisition from the division-rival Rays is now official.

It’s the third DFA this offseason for Walker. Baltimore claimed him back in August and signed him to a major league contract in November. The club tried to get him through waivers on the guaranteed deal, but Atlanta claimed him anyway. The Braves then designated him for assignment in early December, and the Orioles snapped him up.

Walker has pitched in parts of three big-league seasons with the Mets and Blue Jays. He has a 6.59 ERA across 27 1/3 innings. The lefty has a decent 24.2% strikeout rate as a big leaguer, but it comes with a double-digit walk rate.

The 31-year-old Walker has shown some promise in the upper levels of the minors, particularly in the strikeout department. He struck out 33.3% of Triple-A hitters in 2023 while in the Mets’ system, then maintained a mark above 30% between two organizations in 2024. A 31.4% strikeout rate with Buffalo helped Walker earn a spot in Toronto’s bullpen this past season, and he picked up eight punchouts over five innings with the Blue Jays.

Baltimore has made a pair of notable additions to the bullpen this offseason, trading for Andrew Kittredge and signing Ryan Helsley. The club also worked out a new deal with Dietrich Enns. As things currently stand, Enns and Keegan Akin will serve as the primary lefties in the bullpen. Left-hander Grant Wolfram is also on the 40-man roster.