Injuries & Moves: C Pinto, RHP Ward claimed off waivers
Check back throughout the offseason for updates on the Orioles' injuries and roster moves.
LATEST NEWS
Nov. 4: C René Pinto claimed off waivers from Rays; RHP Thaddeus Ward claimed off waivers from Nationals
Pinto, 28, played 83 games for the Rays from 2022-24, hitting .214 with 10 home runs, 32 RBIs and a .667 OPS. He appeared in only 19 games for Tampa Bay in '24, while also playing 53 games at Triple-A Durham.
Ward, 27, got his first taste of the big leagues in 2023, when he recorded a 6.37 ERA over 26 relief appearances for the Nationals. He spent the entire '24 campaign at Triple-A Rochester, where he made 28 starts and posted a 5.64 ERA.
The Orioles now have 36 players on their 40-man roster.
Nov. 4: RHP Matt Bowman elected free agency in lieu of accepting outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk
Bowman, who would have been arbitration-eligible, is now a free agent. The 33-year-old right-hander had a 3.45 ERA in 15 appearances late in the 2024 season for the Orioles, but he was then excluded from the 26-man roster for the American League Wild Card Series vs. the Royals.
Nov. 4: '25 team options for 1B/DH/OF Ryan O'Hearn ($8 million), RHP Seranthony Domínguez ($8 million), LHP Cionel Pérez ($2.2 million) exercised; '25 team option for LHP Danny Coulombe ($4 million) declined
The Orioles made the surprising decision to decline the team option for Coulombe, who had a 2.56 ERA in 94 relief appearances over the past two seasons. However, the options for O'Hearn, Domínguez and Pérez were all picked up. More >
Nov. 4: RHP Félix Bautista, RHP Kyle Bradish, INF/OF Jorge Mateo, RHP Tyler Wells reinstated from 60-day injured list
These were procedural moves by the Orioles, who were required to reinstate players from the 60-day IL and re-add them to the 40-man roster following the conclusion of the World Series. Expect both Bradish (Tommy John surgery) and Wells (UCL reconstruction surgery) to return to the 60-day IL to begin the 2025 season.
INJURY UPDATES
RHP Félix Bautista (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: Spring Training 2025
Bautista is expected to be "more or less full go" at the start of Spring Training, general manager Mike Elias said during his end-of-season press conference on Oct. 3. The 29-year-old All-Star closer hasn't pitched since getting Tommy John surgery in October 2023. He also underwent right elbow debridement and an ulnar nerve transposition in February.
In mid-October, Bautista was scheduled to face live hitters for the first time, another encouraging step in his recovery. He had been throwing routine bullpen sessions since August.
It will be a huge boost to Baltimore's bullpen for Bautista to return in 2025. He owns a 1.85 ERA in 121 appearances over two big league seasons. (Last updated: Oct. 31)
RHP Grayson Rodriguez (right lat/teres strain)
Expected return: Spring Training 2025
Rodriguez was shut down on Sept. 25, when manager Brandon Hyde announced that the 24-year-old right-hander would not pitch for the O's again in 2024, including the postseason. Rodriguez had been throwing routine bullpen sessions for much of September, but he had not advanced to the point of facing live hitters. Rodriguez had been on the IL since getting scratched 10 minutes before his scheduled Aug. 6 start at Toronto.
On Oct. 3, general manager Mike Elias said that he expected Rodriguez to be more or less full go by the start of Spring Training. The righty went 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 116 2/3 innings over 20 starts during his sophomore big league campaign. (Last updated: Oct. 31)
INF Jorge Mateo (left UCL reconstruction surgery)
Expected return: Spring Training 2025
Mateo underwent season-ending left elbow surgery on Aug. 28. The procedure was an ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction with internal brace and flexor repair, and it was performed by Dr. Keith Meister at Trinity Park Surgery Center in Arlington, Texas.
The 29-year-old infielder was placed on the IL on July 25 (retroactive to July 24) after he partially dislocated his elbow when his left arm got tangled with Gunnar Henderson while they both attempted to field a single during the Orioles' July 23 series opener in Miami.
On Oct. 3, general manager Mike Elias said he expected Mateo to be more or less full go by the start of Spring Training. However, Mateo does not yet have a contract for the 2025 season, as he is among Baltimore's 15 arbitration-eligible players this offseason. (Last updated: Oct. 31)
RHP Kyle Bradish (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: Second half of 2025
Bradish underwent Tommy John surgery on June 19, ending his 2024 season after only eight starts. The procedure was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, and also included Bradish receiving an internal brace -- the same type of hybrid procedure that Rangers ace Jacob deGrom received in June 2023.
Bradish battled elbow trouble all year. His first right UCL sprain was sustained in January -- when he also received a platelet-rich plasma injection -- and delayed the start of his season until early May. On June 14, Bradish experienced elbow discomfort during a start against the Phillies, exiting that game after five innings.
The Orioles will be without the 27-year-old right-hander -- who finished fourth in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2023 and had a 2.75 ERA in '24 -- until the second half of the '25 season. (Last updated: July 11)
RHP Tyler Wells (UCL repair surgery)
Expected return: Mid-2025
Wells underwent right UCL repair surgery with internal brace augmentation on June 17 and was transferred to the 60-day IL two days later. The procedure was performed by Dr. Keith Meister at Trinity Park Surgery Center in Arlington, Texas. Wells did not get a second Tommy John surgery, which he previously had on his right UCL in May 2019.
Throughout May, Wells had been rehabbing at the Orioles' facilities in Sarasota, Fla. He began to play catch late in the month, but he continued to experience discomfort, according to general manager Mike Elias.
Wells didn't bounce back from his April 6 start at Pittsburgh the way he had hoped and said he felt discomfort during his April 12 outing vs. Milwaukee. He was initially placed on the IL on April 16. (Last updated: June 19)