Baltimore Orioles: Just Like Old Times, Jace Peterson Is Back

ST PETERSBURG, FL - AUGUST 8: Jace Peterson #29 of the Baltimore Orioles scores in the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 8, 2018 at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FL - AUGUST 8: Jace Peterson #29 of the Baltimore Orioles scores in the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 8, 2018 at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /
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Jace Peterson is back in the big leagues with the Baltimore Orioles.

If you enjoyed 2018 Baltimore Orioles baseball, you are in for quite the treat. Ahead of Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels, the Orioles have purchased the contract of utility man Jace Peterson from the Norfolk Tides. Peterson takes the place of third baseman Rio Ruiz, who was optioned to Triple-A after Wednesday’s game.

With an open spot on the 40-man roster, no corresponding 40-man adjustments are necessary. The 29-year-old left-handed hitting infielder has spent all season in Triple-A with the Tides, minus a three-day adventure as a free agent from July 16-19, which ended in Peterson re-signing with the Orioles on a minor league contract.

Jokes aside, Peterson has been one of the top hitters in the entire International League this season and has been a key piece of the Norfolk Tides offense. As someone who has yet to miss a Tides game, I can say that Peterson has been fun to watch in Norfolk. Whether or not that translates into contributions at the major league level, we will have to wait and see.

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Through 90 Triple-A games, Peterson slashed .313/.398/.512 with 40 total extra-base hits (10 home runs, 25 doubles, 5 triples) and 46 RBIs. He’s also logged 13 stolen bases and owns a 14.9% strikeout rate and 12.2% walk rate.

Peterson leaves the IL ranked seventh in total hits with 102 (Ryan Mountcastle currently leads the league with 118), sixth in on-base percentage, and seventh in batting average. Over his last ten games in Norfolk, Peterson hit .486 with 17 total hits, four home runs, and a 5/9 K/BB ratio. He also ended his time at Harbor Park with a 12-game hitting streak (hit safely in 14 of last 15), seven of which were multi-hit performances.

The Orioles originally acquired Peterson last season off waivers from the New York Yankees. He appeared in 93 games with the O’s in 2018, hitting just .195 with three home runs. In 479 career major league games with the Orioles, Yankees, Braves, and Padres, Peterson is a .228 hitter.

If the return of Jace Peterson isn’t enough excitement, you may not have to wait much longer for the return of Mark Trumbo. The designated hitter has hits in both of his rehab games in Norfolk this week, including a home run on Wednesday.

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For the rest of you east coast fans, you can stay up tonight for a 10 pm contest against the Angels to witness the return of Peterson. Tell me how it goes….