O's claim RHP Lakins off waivers, DFA Wilkerson

BALTIMORE -- For the second consecutive day, combing the waiver wire put the Orioles at risk of losing one of their most familiar faces from a year ago. As a result of claiming right-hander Travis Lakins off waivers from the Cubs on Friday, the Orioles designated Stevie Wilkerson for assignment, potentially ending the popular utility man’s tenure with the organization.

A role player who became known as “Dr. Poo Poo” after a series of mop-up relief appearances on the mound, Wilkerson found himself solely responsible for two of the most unlikely highlights of the Orioles' 2019 season. The first came on July 25, when Wilkerson, tossing sub-60 mph lob balls to the plate, worked a 1-2-3 16th inning to cap a marathon 10-8 win in Anaheim, earning the first save by a position player in Major League history. A career infielder, Wilkerson also made perhaps the play of the MLB season by robbing Jackie Bradley Jr. of a homer in Game 162 at Fenway Park.

Wilkerson made four relief appearances over the course of the season, never registering a pitch above 60 mph, per Statcast. He earned several (self-imposed) monikers for his pitching, namely “Stevie Sliders” and “Dr. Poo Poo,” which took hold after manager Brandon Hyde referred to his pitches as “poo poo.” The 28-year-old can remain in the organization if he clears waivers.

When a player's contract is designated for assignment -- often abbreviated "DFA" -- that player is immediately removed from his club's 40-man roster. Within seven days of the transaction (had been 10 days under the 2012-16 Collective Bargaining Agreement), the player can either be traded or placed on irrevocable outright waivers.

This is the second time the Orioles have DFA’d Wilkerson, also removing him from the roster last spring. He remained in the organization, returned to the Majors in late April and spent long stretches as the team’s primary center fielder, ultimately hitting .225 with 10 homers and a .669 OPS in 117 games.

The Orioles' recent claims of versatile infielders Pat Valaika and Richard Ureña ultimately made Wilkerson expendable when they added Lakins, a former Red Sox farmhand. He was DFA’d by Boston earlier this month and traded to Chicago on Jan. 21.

A 6-foot-1, 180-pound right-hander, Lakins was a regular presence on Boston’s Top Prospects list since the Red Sox drafted him in the sixth round out of Ohio State in 2015. The 25-year-old bounced between Triple-A and the Majors last season, when he appeared in 16 games as a rookie. Lakins pitched to a 3.86 ERA and posted an 17.7% strikeout rate in those outings. He is a converted starter who profiles as relief depth for the Orioles heading into 2020.