Orioles interrupt intrasquad by trading for Bleier (updated)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Christian Walker was listed as the first baseman and cleanup hitter for the visiting team in today's intrasquad game, but he never took the field. David Washington replaced him in the bottom of the first inning and lined a single into center field off Logan Verrett leading off the top of the second.

There was a good reason for Walker's removal from the lineup. He was designated for assignment to make room for left-hander Richard Bleier, acquired from the Yankees today for a player to be named later.

Another roster move for the Orioles, who have quite a streak going this spring.

Bleier, 29, is 55-57 with a 4.02 ERA in 241 career minor league games, including 123 starts. He made his major league debut against the Blue Jays on May 30 and posted a 1.96 ERA in 23 games.

Bleier faced the Orioles three times last summer and allowed one hit in three scoreless innings.

Left-handers were 6-for-40 versus Bleier and right-handers hit .304.

"Bleier's got a good sinker and he came up with a cutter last year, which helped him get out righties more effectively, so our hope is with his sinker and his cutter he'll be able to establish himself as a solid major league pitcher," said executive vice president Dan Duquette.

"Got a lot of experience over the course of his career and he did some good work last September in the AL East. Pitched pretty well against us actually the last series. Got some of our proven major league hitters out working both inside on the lefties and the righties. We think he'll help give us some more depth to our pitching staff and his sinkerball should play pretty well with our infield and our ballpark."

Bleier didn't allow a run in seven September appearances covering 9 2/3 innings. He has minor league options.

The Orioles have acquired outfielder Craig Gentry, left-hander Vidal Nuño, outfielder Michael Bourn and Bleier in the past four days. Duquette said nothing else is imminent, but he might have just been referring to today.

"We've been trying to add to our pitching depth, which was on our offseason shopping list," Duquette said. "We were trying to add to the depth of our pitching, starter and relief, and we were trying to add to our left-handed pitching. The last two guys we got were lefties. And we picked up (Gabriel) Ynoa, which was a righty. We're trying to pick up a pitching staff with more depth that can pitch until October."

Duquette contacted the Yankees after they designated Bleier for assignment last week to create roster space for Chris Carter.

"We registered our interest with the Yanks," he said. "I'm not sure we were the Yanks first choice, but we ended up getting the player. "

Walker, the organization's minor league Player of the Year in 2014, became expendable over the winter and didn't make the necessary strides as a left fielder to increase his value.

"Christian Walker's a young player," Duquette said. "That was a depth consideration. Once we re-signed Mark Trumbo, and then Trey Mancini developed, and we also have Dariel Álvarez, that limited the opportunity for Christian for the O's. We like him, obviously. We expect him to develop into a major league player."

Bleier and Nuno both have options and bring needed flexibility.

"It's important for the management of the team during the season," Duquette said. "The way we utilize our pitching staff, we put all our resources into today's game, and then we worry about tomorrow after the game, so it's a lot easier when you have these players whose contracts are optionable if you need to refresh your bullpen or replenish the number of outs that you need on your pitching staff. It's a lot easier to send a player on option unilaterally to the minors when you have to make a couple of player moves.

"Building a roster with players that has options is one of the considerations. We took (Francisco) Peña off. We also designated T.J. McFarland for assignment. We have been able to pick up two left-handers this week that should give us the depth required that McFarland gave us the last couple of years."

Mike Wright retired the side in order for the home team in the first inning, throwing 10 of his 17 pitches for strikes. He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavárez.

Tyler Wilson retired the first two batters in the bottom half, getting Jonathan Schoop on a fly ball and Adam Jones on a grounder to short. Manny Machado poked a single into right field and Hyun Soo Kim blooped a single to shallow left, but Tavárez threw out Machado at third.

Wilson threw 12 pitches, 10 for strikes.

Verrett gave up Washington's single, but he retired the next two batters and was done at 11 pitches. Manager Buck Showalter kept the team on the field long enough to run one bunt drill, rolling the ball to the infield. This is also how you know it's only intrasquad.

Welington Castillo threw out Washington trying to steal second base.

Ynoa struck out Castillo and Chris Johnson to start the bottom of the second inning, and Mancini grounded to short. Ynoa threw 13 pitches, nine strikes, and he was popping the mitt, the sound echoing through a mostly empty Ed Smith Stadium.

Rule 5 pick Anthony Santander flied out while batting from the left side against right-hander Zach Stewart leading off the top of the third. Showalter indicated yesterday that Santander, coming off shoulder surgery, might be restricted to hitting right-handed.

Stewart was allowed to face four batters, retiring all of them, and run his pitch count to 12. Seven were strikes. Robert Andino popped up, Caleb Joseph grounded out and Tavárez popped up.

Left-hander Donnie Hart surrendered a leadoff double to left-handed hitting Chris Dickerson, the ball traveling to the base of the fence in left field. Joey Rickard struck out and Dickerson was thrown out at third base on Schoop's grounder to Andino at short. Jones popped up and Hart was done at 16 pitches, including 11 strikes.

Still no runs on the board in the top of the sixth. Jason Garcia, Oliver Drake, Jayson Aquino and Parker Bridwell each threw a scoreless inning.

Update: The intrasquad game ended scoreless after six innings. Joe Gunkel and Richard Rodríguez each threw a scorelees inning. Continue to breathe normally.