Former Orioles' lefty joins Phillies bullpen in surprise move

Nick Vespi's days of riding the shuttle between Norfolk and Camden Yards are officially over. On Thursday, the Phillies announced that they had signed left-handed reliever Nick Vespi to a minor-league contract with an invitation to Spring Training.

Vespi pitched in 45 games in parts of three seasons (2022-2024) with the Orioles, logging an ERA of 3.88. His best and busiest year came in 2022, when he appeared in 25 games for the Orioles, going 5-0 with a 4.10 ERA and 28 strikeouts over 26.1 innings. This past season, Vespi appeared in 11 games for the Birds, pitching to a solid 2.92 ERA and striking out nine over 12 innings.

The Phillies' acquisition of Vespi continues the running pitching shuttle between Philadelphia and Baltimore, as in just the past year the Orioles added Craig Kimbrel, Seranthony Dominguez, and Gregory Soto from the Phillies. Presumptive ace Zach Eflin also spent the first seven seasons of his career in the City of Brotherly Love before signing with Tampa in December 2022. Former Oriole Seth Johnson is currently the Phillies' 15th-best prospect.

Orioles lose veteran reliever to Philadelphia in free agency

For better or worse, Vespi's frequent trips from Norfolk to Baltimore (and back again) defined his tenure with the Orioles. Although a dependable, solid reliever, Vespi never showed quite enough to stick in Baltimore for long periods of time. He was frequently recalled when the Orioles needed an extra arm in the bullpen or when a player went on the IL.

Whether he pitched well or not, he knew his time in Baltimore - or Norfolk - would be short-lived. The Orioles removed Vespi from the 40-man roster on August 25, 2024 to make room for reliever Brooks Kriske, who did not pitch in a single game for the Orioles. In other words, don't feel bad about not knowing who he is.

The long-haired lefty predominantly relies on a cutter, slider, and curveball, with the cutter averaging only 90.8 miles per hour. No, Vespi did not rely on velocity to get outs, but instead relied on pinpoint control and making hitters chase out of the zone with the slider and curveball (28.6% put-away rate).

Vespi will be a fun story to follow this Spring as fans will likely be rooting for him to earn a spot in the Phillies' bullpen. Unlike his time in Baltimore, perhaps Vespi can actually stick in the Phillies' pen for good.