We are five days into the offseason, and while we all are patiently waiting for free agents to sign, the Orioles are working the waiver wire.
It was announced Monday afternoon that the organization has claimed catcher René Pinto from the Tampa Bay Ray’s and right-handed pitcher Thaddeus Ward from the Washington Nationals.
Pinto is a 28-year-old catcher who debuted just two years ago during the 2022 season. He just finished his third major league season, and while his stats don’t pop out as much, Pinto is a decent depth piece for the Orioles, especially after losing former All-Star catcher James McCann to free agency at the moment.
In three seasons with the Rays, Pinto slashed .231/.263/.404 with a .667 OPS in 82 games. He collected 52 total hits, nine doubles, 10 home runs and knocked in 32 RBIs.
The Venezuelan native spent most of last season with the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate, the Durham Bulls, and carried an OPS of .630.
https://twitter.com/jomboymedia/status/1519124964347199490?s=46&t=NOOqjG6SCXh6pPDL6gL2IQ
As for the other waiver claim, Ward is a former fifth-round pick back in 2018 from the University of Central Florida. Ward is joining his third team, as he was originally a Red Sox before being picked up by the Nationals on waivers in December of 2022. He made his big league debut on April 1, 2023, with Washington.
In 26 MLB games, Ward has an 0-0 record with a 6.37 ERA. He has pitched 35.1 innings, given up 29 hits, 25 earned runs, has walked 28 batters and has struck out 30. Batters struggled to hit Ward, as he held them to a .225 batting average.
Ward is another depth piece who will spend most of his time in Triple-A Norfolk, with the possibility of MLB time because of injury or rest. Pitching depth is much-needed in this league.
https://twitter.com/mlbpipeline/status/1639836459136851968?s=46&t=NOOqjG6SCXh6pPDL6gL2IQ
The offseason is just getting started, and the fact that O’s GM Mike Elias is already building up the depth before free agency even begins can tell a lot about his plans moving forward.
Stay tuned with The Baltimore Battery to get up-to-date information on everything going on this offseason.
What do you think of these moves? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
Represent The Baltimore Battery and show off your fandom with our official merchandise! Reasonably-priced attire made just for you! Visit our official shop site by clicking here!
Represent The Baltimore Battery and show off your fandom with our official merchandise! Reasonably-priced attire made just for you! Visit our official shop site by clicking here!
Like Zack’s content? Follow him on X – @Zackattack8211 and @OsMilbUpdates for all the latest news and updates on the O’s farm system!
THE BALTIMORE BATTERY 
Leave a comment