Orioles trade catcher Susac to Royals
TORONTO -- The Orioles completed a trade on Tuesday prior to their game in Toronto against the Blue Jays, sending catcher Andrew Susac to the Royals in exchange for cash considerations.
This move clears a logjam of catching depth at Triple-A Norfolk for the Orioles, where they also have Carlos Perez and Chance Sisco set to open the season with the Tides.
Austin Wynns is also ticketed to join the Tides when he returns from a left oblique strain, and appeared in 42 games with the Orioles last season, so there is still plenty of catching depth available behind Baltimore’s current big league tandem of Pedro Severino and Jesus Sucre following the trade.
Susac, 29, was acquired by the Orioles from the Brewers prior to the 2018 season, and appeared in nine MLB games last season for Baltimore. In 42 games with Norfolk, Susac hit .256 with an .861 OPS.
Manager Brandon Hyde has been pleased with what he’s seen at the position from both Sucre and Severino through the first four games, especially when it comes to their handling of the pitching staff and the trust they’ve built.
“It shows that we’re going in the right direction,” Hyde said, before Tuesday’s game. “That’s trust. Sucre’s earned that already, which is phenomenal. The guy has been in the big leagues for a while, and they trust him because of what he puts into it. They know that he’s trying to put up a zero every single inning. He’s living and dying with them out there.”
David Hess put a great deal of trust in Sucre on Monday night in Toronto, when he threw 6 1/3 hitless innings before being removed in the seventh. Hyde credits the game plan put together by the Orioles’ staff, which the catchers are actively involved in.
“Sucre does a great job, as well as Severino, of talking about it and being engaged in it,” Hyde said.
Keegan Matheson is a contributor to MLB.com.