Baltimore Orioles: Add another DFA Player to the Team of Cast-offs

KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 2: Starting pitcher Jorge Lopez #52 of the Kansas City Royals reacts after throwing against the Baltimore Orioles at Kauffman Stadium on September 2, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 2: Starting pitcher Jorge Lopez #52 of the Kansas City Royals reacts after throwing against the Baltimore Orioles at Kauffman Stadium on September 2, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

To fill a few pitching holes, the Baltimore Orioles picked up swingman Jorge Lopez on Sunday.

The Baltimore Orioles stuck to their ways of picking up cast-offs from other teams. And, hopefully, Lopez can excel like some of the others the Orioles have rescued.

Lopez was previously with the Kansas City Royals and they DFA’d him after a disappointing .2 innings of work. He gave up three hits and two runs. In 2019, Lopez pitched 123.2 innings and earned an ERA of 6.33. The news about Lopez came via Joe Trezza with MLB.com.

Prior to his time with the Royals, he was a member of the Milwaukee Brewers. He joined the Royals in the Mike Moustakas trade in 2018. In his short time with the Brewers, he pitched 105.1 innings with an ERA of 3.69. He was a swingman with both teams, starting and relieving when needed.

Filling Holes in the Rotation and Bullpen

It’s safe to say the Orioles aren’t expecting to get ace-quality work out of Lopez. But, with John Means out for bereavement, Kohl Stewart opting out for 2020, and relief pitchers with season-ending injuries and surgeries, he could be used sooner rather than later.

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The Orioles pitching staff in 2020 has done better than expected, but it’s been a case of feast or famine. Alex Cobb has been outstanding, and Tommy Milone impressed the other day against the Nationals. Wade LeBlanc and Asher Wojciechowski have had some ups and downs. John Means has struggled, and so have a handful of the relievers, too.

The Orioles Waiver Roster

This isn’t an exciting addition to the team, but that seems to be the modus operadi of the Orioles. Interestingly, the team has done well with players picked up on waivers.

Consider the players who are leading the team in batting stats. Hanser Alberto was picked up off of waivers from the Yankees and Giants, and Pedro Severino was once a member of the Nationals, until they put him on waivers for the O’s to pick up. Alberto has the 8th highest batting average in the MLB in 2020, and Severino has an OPS of 1.014.

Rio Ruiz was another waiver pick, and Anthony Santander was Rule-5 draft pick. Even Renato Nunez was picked up off of waivers. Of the starting position players, only Jose Iglesias and Chris Davis were signed in free agency. Dwight Smith Jr. was obtained in a trade, and Austin Hays was an Orioles draft pick.

Maybe the Orioles can work some magic with Lopez as he joins a cast filled with waiver pick ups like him. With the Orioles currently sitting with a .500 win-loss record, it’s safe to say that the coaching staff is doing something right.

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