Orioles just added quite the well-traveled reliever to patch bullpen holes

As the dust settles from the 2025 MLB trade deadline, the Baltimore Orioles continue to work the margins of the roster, and their latest move is another that may fly under the radar. But it could prove to be a savvy addition for a bullpen that badly needs help.

The Orioles have claimed 31-year-old right-hander Rico Garcia off waivers from the New York Mets, per KPRC 2’s Ari Alexander. It’s an intriguing move for one reason: results. Quietly, Garcia has been flat-out effective in limited chances this year. And interestingly, this isn’t his first stint in Baltimore. Garcia briefly pitched for the Orioles in 2022, posting a 4.50 ERA over six appearances and eight innings. Now, three years later, he returns as a more seasoned and well-traveled reliever. One whose recent performance suggests he may have more to offer this time around.

Orioles make under-the-radar bullpen addition with Rico Garcia waiver claim

Across 15 1/3 MLB innings split between the Mets and Yankees, Garcia owns a 3.52 ERA, but a deeper dive paints an even more promising picture. He’s struck out an impressive 30 percent of batters faced, while walking just 6.7 percent. Garcia is inducing ground balls at a 45.9 percent clip. Metrics that all sit comfortably above league average. In fact, during his most recent stint with the Mets, Garcia allowed just three earned runs in 12.2 innings (2.13 ERA). Yet with the Mets beefing up their bullpen at the deadline, he found himself designated for assignment, and fell right into the Orioles’ hands.

This is a classic opportunistic and familiar pickup by Baltimore, a team that knows it can’t afford to let even marginal relief help fall by the wayside, especially given the state of the bullpen. After shipping off four relievers at the deadline, with closer Felix Bautista sidelined since July 24 due to right shoulder discomfort, and four other relievers currently out with injuries, the O’s are in urgent need of fresh arms who can contribute immediately.

That’s where Garcia fits in. He’s out of minor league options, so Baltimore will have to clear a spot on the active roster when he reports, but that also signals the team’s confidence that he can help right away.

Garcia may not have the pedigree of a late-inning fireman, but the track record this season suggests he can be more than just a depth flier. He’s been a strike-thrower with multiple stops on his resume, exactly the kind of profile that can thrive in a middle relief or seventh-inning role.

There’s no guarantee Rico Garcia becomes a high-leverage option in Baltimore. But given the Orioles’ current bullpen uncertainty and the solid peripherals he’s shown in 2025, this is the kind of move that could quietly pay dividends down the stretch.

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