Normally, the Baltimore Orioles releasing a 31-year-old minor league pitcher who has close to a 6.00 ERA wouldn't be newsworthy. This is around the time of year when teams start making waves of promotions and just need to clear roster space in order to make all the roster moves they want to make.
However, when the Orioles released Andrew Suarez from his minor-league deal late Wednesday night, some Orioles fans panicked if only for a moment because of how similar his name is to Orioles fan favorite Albert Suarez. The results were priceless.
Orioles News: Baltimore release ANDREW Suarez, not Albert Suarez much to everyone's confusion
Releasing Andrew Suarez isn't without some intrigue. He has big league experience both as a starter and as a reliever, and the Orioles signed him as a long-shot depth piece last offseason. He had a pretty decent spring, but his regular season numbers left a lot to be desired and the Orioles ultimately decided to cut bait with him.
However, the name similarity with ALBERT Suarez did create a moment where some Orioles fans were a tad irate. That Suarez has endeared himself to Baltimore fans after a standout spring training, and he has been a valuable swing man, especially when a bunch of guys were hurt, for the Orioles in 2024, posting a 1.96 ERA in seven appearances since the team called him up.
Predictably, the fan response to the news was pretty priceless.
Do a double take before tweeting.
Always do a double take before tweeting.
Always doublecheck your sources and always doublecheck names, folks. The sports news cycle is a wild place these days, and there are a lot of guys with similar names. In rare cases, they play for the same organization. Just search for "Will Smith" when one of the two in the majors does something notable and enjoy the chaos.
Luckily, Albert Suarez is safe and sound and still with the Orioles. As for the other Suarez, hopefully he gets another opportunity with a different organization, for our sanity, and lands on his feet.