Orioles acquire Magnifico from Brewers and trade Drake

The Orioles continued their roster maneuvering following tonight's 2-1 win over the Blue Jays in Toronto, acquiring right-hander Damien Magnifico from the Brewers in exchange for the 2016-17 international signing bonus slot No. 15 and trading reliever Oliver Drake to the Brewers for a player to be named or cash.

Drake was designated for assignment earlier today to make room for reliever Stefan Crichton on the 25-man and 40-man rosters.

Magnifico, 25, was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

"Damien Magnifico has an excellent sinker, a strikeout pitch in his slider and knack for keeping the ball down and in the ballpark," executive vice president Dan Duquette wrote in a text message. "We look forward to him contributing to the Orioles.

Twice a fifth-round pick of the Mets in 2009 and Brewers in 2012, Magnifico made his major league debut last summer and allowed two runs and two hits in three relief innings over three appearances. He also walked three batters and hit one.

Magnifico is 23-20 with a 3.71 ERA in 148 minor league games, including 41 starts. He made two relief appearances this month at Triple-A Colorado Springs and allowed an unearned run, walked two batters and struck out two in 1 1/3 innings.

Magnifico posted a 1.17 ERA in 42 relief appearances with Double-A Biloxi in 2015.

The international bonus slot surrendered in the trade comes with an assigned value of $885,300, according to Baseball America's Ben Badler.

Pitcher Jason García was designated for assignment to make room for Magnifico on the 40-man roster. The former Rule 5 pick allowed five runs (four earned) in 3 1/3 innings with Double-A Bowie and was 1-0 with a 4.25 ERA in 21 relief appearances with the Orioles in 2015.

García didn't make it back to the majors last summer.

As for Drake, the former 43rd-round pick out of the Naval Academy was out of options and the Orioles sought more flexibility among their relievers. They broke camp with him as part of an eight-man bullpen, but it figured to be temporary.

They didn't want to risk losing him on waivers and found a trade partner. The same one twice tonight.

Drake allowed three runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings in three appearances this season and is 1-0 with a 3.89 ERA in 30 major league games. He was named the top pitcher in minor league baseball in 2015 after registering a 0.82 ERA in 42 games at Norfolk, going 23-for-23 in save chances and striking out 66 batters in 44 innings.

Tonight's moves cap a busy day that also included the Orioles summoning right-hander Alec Asher from Norfolk to make Saturday's start in Toronto.