Orioles news: Recent waiver claim outrighted to Triple-A, free agents off the table

Finally, we've got an actual roster move in Baltimore. No, it's not anything exciting but it is actual movement to report. On Friday evening, the Orioles announced that RP Thaddeus Ward had cleared outright waivers and has been assigned to Triple-A Norfolk.

Ward was claimed off waivers from the Nationals in early November, right around the time that they'd claimed catcher Rene Pinto. A former Rule 5 pick from the Red Sox system, Ward spent both 2023 and 2024 with Washington. While he was an interesting name entering the Rule 5 draft back in the winter of 2022, he unfortunately didn't amount to much during his time with the Nationals.

Ward pitched to a 6.37 ERA out of the Nationals' bullpen in 2023 with an unimpressive 18.8% strikeout rate. Washington decided to send him to Triple-A for the entirety of 2024, but they also moved him out of the bullpen and back into a starting role. He started all 28 games he pitched in this past year and threw a career-high 119.2 innings, albeit with a 5.64 ERA.

It seems likely that the Orioles intend to keep Ward in a starting role. Once upon a time, he was running 30% and higher strikeout rates in the low minors. While he's walked too many batters at higher levels, there's clearly a talented arm in there somewhere.

The Orioles have successfully unlocked guys like Ward in the past, so with the necessity of having him on the 40-man now gone, we'll see if the O's can get Ward to re-focus and turn his career back around.

Orioles outright recent waiver claim Thaddeus Ward to Triple-A

The Orioles still have a good bit of work to do this offseason, but two potential targets came off the board on Friday. Early Friday evening, Jon Heyman of the NY Post reported that Shane Bieber had come to terms with the Guardians on a one-year, $10 million contract to return to Cleveland. The deal includes both a $4 million buyout and a player option for 2026 that could bring the total contract value to $26 million.

Bieber had been an interesting buy-low target for a number of teams in need of pitching. The 29 year old missed most of the 2024 season thanks to Tommy John surgery but is expected to return before the All Star break. As such, he'd been seen as someone who could come in and give a team a strong mid-season boost ahead of a playoff push.

Heyman actually reported that Bieber turned down larger contract offers in order to return to Cleveland. It's an interesting choice, seeing as the Guardians have never been the team to shell out big money for players but they do have an elite pitching development team. Bieber clearly feels comfortable with the medical team and coaching staff there, so hopefully he can return to full strength and the Orioles can target him for 2026.

In addition to Bieber, another interesting name came off the board on Friday night. Former Yankees closer Clay Holmes signed a 3-year deal with the Mets for $38 million. Holmes fits with the Mets, but the weird part is that they want to transition him to the starting rotation for 2025.

Holmes has started just 4 games in his major league career. He was a starter in the Pirates' system up until 2018, when he was moved to the bullpen to get him to the big leagues. He's spent the past six seasons exclusively as a reliever, and he's saved 74 games over the past 3 years with the Yankees.

Moving Holmes to the rotation at this point in his career is a curious decision but maybe the Mets see how Seth Lugo was able to transition to the rotation in his mid-30's and hope to recreate some of that magic. We'll have to wait and see if it works out for them.