Orioles select contract of right-hander Freddy Garcia from Triple-A Norfolk, designate right-hander Zach Clark for assignment

The Orioles today announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Freddy Garcia from Triple-A Norfolk. To make room for him on the 25- and 40-man rosters, right-hander Zach Clark has been designated for assignment. Garcia, 36, has gone 4-0 with a 2.67 ERA (33.2IP, 10ER) in five starts for the Tides this season. He was named International League Player of the Week for the week ending April 28 (2-0, 1.69 ERA, 16.0IP, 10H, 3ER, 9K). The veteran right-hander is 152-101 with a 4.15 ERA (2183.2IP, 1006ER) in his 14-season major league career with Seattle (1999-2004), the White Sox (2004-06 and 2009-10), Philadelphia (2007), Detroit (2008) and the Yankees (2011-12). The two-time All-Star (2001 and 02 with Seattle) finished second in the Rookie of the Year balloting in 1999, when he went 17-8 in 201.1 innings for the Mariners. Garcia has twice finished in the top-10 in AL Cy Young voting (1999 - 9th and 2001 - 3rd, when he went 18-6 with a 3.05 ERA). Among active pitchers, Garcia's 152 career victories rank ninth, and he has the most wins for any Venezuelan-born pitcher in baseball history. He has gone 6-3 with a 3.28 ERA (60.1IP, 22ER) in 10 career post-season starts, including 7.0 shutout innings in clinching Game 4 of the 2005 World Series for the White Sox. Garcia will wear #38. Clark, 29, made his major league debut for the Orioles on Wednesday at Seattle (1.2IP, 3H, 3ER, 2BB, K). He went 1-2 with a 4.56 ERA (25.2IP, 13ER) in five starts with the Tides this season. He went 15-7 with a 2.79 ERA (167.2IP, 52ER) in 28 games (26 starts) with Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk in 2012. Additionally, catcher Luis Exposito has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk.