The Orioles are stockpiling catchers in the early days of their offseason.

Two more arrived today, with the Orioles claiming Aramis Garcia and Mark Kolozsvary off waivers from the Reds.

A full 40-man roster required two corresponding moves, and the Orioles designated relievers Louis Head and Beau Sulser for assignment.

Garcia, who turns 30 in January, is a right-handed hitter and second-round pick of the Giants in the 2014 draft out of Florida International University. He appeared in 47 games with the Reds this summer and batted .213/.248/.259 with two doubles, one home run, three walks and 34 strikeouts in 115 plate appearances.

The Reds were Garcia’s third major league team. He played in 37 games with the Giants in 2018-19 and 32 with the Athletics in 2021 and is a career .216/.253/.332 hitter with five doubles, 10 home runs, 25 RBIs, 10 walks and 114 strikeouts in 320 plate appearances. He’s thrown out 12 of 43 runners attempting to steal.

BOSTON – The regular season is down to eight games for the Orioles, and they’re still 3 ½ behind the Mariners for the last wild card.

It’s more like 4 ½ because Seattle owns the tiebreaker.

The Orioles made a flurry of roster moves. They placed infielder Ramón Urías on the 10-day injured list with a right knee sprain, which ends his season, optioned relievers Joey Krehbiel and Jake Reed to Triple-A Norfolk, and recalled infielder Tyler Nevin, left-hander Keegan Akin and right-hander Beau Sulser.

Akin is replacing Urías, which enables him to be recalled this early after the Orioles optioned him on Monday.

Nevin is starting at third base tonight.

BOSTON – The Orioles begin their final road trip of the season with four games at Fenway Park. They remain four behind the Mariners for the final wild card.

They could be contemplating a roster move. Pitchers Beau Sulser and Logan Gillaspie are in the visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park, and the lineup card hasn’t been posted.

Infielder Ramón Urías said he should be available tonight and able to avoid shutting down over the last 10 games.

Urías has been receiving treatments for spasms between his neck and shoulder, which forced him out of the lineup and a recent game. He’s prepared to play through them.

“It’s feeling better,” he said. “Still have a little tenderness right now but feeling better and I think I’m available tonight off the bench.”

The Orioles recalled reliever Louis Head this afternoon from Triple-A Norfolk to provide a fresh bullpen arm. They optioned Beau Sulser following yesterday’s game.

Head, who’s wearing No. 60, came to the organization as a July 12 waiver claim from the Marlins. He was on the injured list with a left shoulder impingement.

The right-hander made his major league debut with the Rays last summer, and he appeared in 23 games with the Marlins this season, allowing 19 runs and 26 hits with 11 walks and 23 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings.

Head posted a 3.38 ERA in seven games with Norfolk. He allowed three runs and four hits with seven walks and 12 strikeouts in eight innings.

Sulser surrendered Ke’Bryan Hayes’ two-run homer yesterday after he replaced Keegan Akin. He threw 49 pitches in 2 1/3 innings.

The Orioles placed starter Tyler Wells on the 15-day injured list this morning with lower left side discomfort. Wells is undergoing further testing today, which should provide a more specific diagnosis.

Wells’ placement on the IL was anticipated. The exact nature of the injury remains unknown beyond the pain he experienced last night in his side and lower back.

A slider thrown down and away to Tampa Bay’s Yandy Díaz to begin an at-bat in the fifth inning led to Wells’ departure from a 6-4, 10-inning loss.

The Orioles need a starter for Monday in Texas. They optioned left-hander Nick Vespi after last night’s game and recalled relievers Logan Gillaspie and Beau Sulser from Triple-A Norfolk this morning.

Nothing that solves the Monday riddle.

When last seen in the major leagues, lefty Bruce Zimmermann was really struggling with the Orioles. On June 15 at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, the Baltimorean allowed 11 hits and six runs, including three homers, to the Blue Jays. That left his ERA at 5.94 through 13 big league starts and he was optioned to Triple-A the next day.

Zimmermann, who returned to the Orioles active roster today with Beau Sulser optioned out, was recalled to pitch out of the bullpen. He said he was not surprised the team sent him to Norfolk when it did.

After getting off to a fast start this year, his ERA was 9.79 in his last six O’s starts, and in that span he gave up 15 homers over 30 1/3 innings.

“No (not surprised to get sent down then),” he said in the clubhouse today. “My last couple of outings were not what they were compared to the beginning of the year or what I expect of myself or what they expect of a starter in the AL East. It wasn’t a shock.”

So over three games and 18 innings with the Tides, Zimmermann worked on his pitches, his mental outlook, his confidence and tightening up his slider. He returned today feeling better about his pitching and better about getting the feel for his changeup.

The Orioles recalled left-hander Bruce Zimmermann from Triple-A Norfolk this morning, returning the Baltimore native to the majors. Reliever Beau Sulser was optioned after last night’s thrilling 5-4, walk-off win over the Angels at Camden Yards.

Manager Brandon Hyde will explain later whether Zimmermann goes back into the rotation or provides length out of the bullpen.

The timing of today’s move suggests at least a temporary relief assignment. Another long man after Keegan Akin pitched last night.

Zimmermann was optioned while the Orioles were in Toronto. He allowed 17 home runs in his last seven starts, and 18 overall, while compiling a 5.94 ERA and 1.470 WHIP in 13 games over 66 2/3 innings.

During his reset, Zimmermann made three appearances and two starts with Norfolk and allowed nine runs and 18 hits with six walks and 20 strikeouts in 18 innings. He held Gwinnett to one run and three hits in six innings on June 28, faced them again in his last start and allowed three runs with no walks in seven innings.

The Orioles discussed potential bullpen moves after last night’s wild 10-9, 10-inning victory over the Rangers and decided upon Beau Sulser, who’s been recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. He was on the taxi squad during the last road trip.

Left-hander Nick Vespi was optioned to Norfolk after last night’s game. Vespi was charged with six runs in one-third of an inning on June 29 in Seattle, tossed 1 1/3 scoreless with three strikeouts Monday against the Rangers, and served up a game-tying three-run homer last night to Norfolk native Nathaniel Lowe in the eighth.

Sulser has made one appearance with the Orioles and allowed two runs and seven hits in three innings. He has a 3.20 ERA in seven games with the Tides.

Marcos Diplán appeared to be a candidate to rejoin the Orioles, but they designated him for assignment and claimed left-hander Kirk McCarty off waivers from the Guardians. McCarty has been optioned to Norfolk.

The 40-man roster remains at full capacity.

The Orioles begin a four-game series in Kansas City tonight with Jordan Lyles on the mound after last night’s rainout adjusted his turn.

Lyles has a 4.50 ERA and 1.484 WHIP in 11 starts. He faced the Royals in Game 1 of a May 8 doubleheader and allowed two earned runs (four total) in a season-high 7 1/3 innings.

Tonight’s game won’t provide a matchup of sorts between the top two draft picks in 2019 - Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman and Royals infielder Bobby Witt Jr. A nice sidebar that’s put on hold until Friday.

Robinson Chirinos is behind the plate tonight. Rutschman is going to catch at least two games in the series and likely serve as designated hitter in another. He’s probably going to catch in three of the four games in Toronto, including Monday’s opener.

Rutschman already was going to sit tonight, and the postponement didn’t change the lineup pattern established days ago. Manager Brandon Hyde is easing him into the major league workload after the No. 1 prospect strained his right triceps at the spring training complex.

BOSTON - Kyle Bradish threw 40 pitches last night in a four-run first inning, made a slow walk toward the dugout and was intercepted like a tipped pass.

Catcher Adley Rutschman doesn’t pick six. He does it with everyone.

Rutschman, also a rookie who arrived in the majors after Bradish, maintained his routine of meeting up near the baseline. The talk is brief. Usually a tap on the shoulder or chest. Can be encouragement or consolation.

Bradish accepted a fist-bump and kept moving, his frustration apparent over a start that didn’t allow for a second on-field interaction.

Manager Brandon Hyde removed Bradish with two outs in the second inning. Beau Sulser, making his Orioles’ debut, stranded two runners and got the full Rutschman treatment – his catcher in his ear and they walked together.  

NEW YORK – Spenser Watkins is on the 15-day injured list with a bruise at the top of his right forearm, forcing a weekend change in the Orioles rotation.

Manager Brandon Hyde needs two starters for Saturday’s doubleheader in Boston. Watkins no longer is an option for either game.

“It’s pretty sore,” said Watkins, who faced only three batters and left after Ji-Man Choi’s line drive struck his arm. “We’ve got a great training staff here that put me through the ringer so far, so it’s feeling a little bit better but still stiff, as you would assume.

“I didn’t really know what the move was going to be. They didn’t really give an inclination one way or the other. But they’re going to make the best move for the team and go from there.”

The Orioles don’t know if Watkins will be ready after 15 days.

NEW YORK – The Orioles are making massive changes to their pitching staff heading into tonight’s series opener at Yankee Stadium.

Right-handers Marcos Diplán, Logan Gillaspie and Beau Sulser have been recalled from Triple-A Norfolk, with pitcher Mike Baumann and infielder Tyler Nevin optioned after yesterday’s game and Spenser Watkins placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow contusion.

Watkins was hit by a 106 mph line drive off Ji-Man Choi’s bat in the first inning of yesterday’s game.

Gillaspie is able to return early from the minors because he’s replacing an injured player. He’s tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings in two appearances.

Sulser, wearing No. 67, made his major league debut this season with the Pirates and appeared in four games before the Orioles claimed him off waivers May 14. He’s the brother of former Orioles reliever Cole Sulser.

Left-hander Paul Fry might not make it back to Baltimore.

The Orioles designated Fry for assignment this afternoon and claimed right-hander Beau Sulser off waivers from the Pirates.

Sulser has three minor league options, and he’s reporting to Triple-A Norfolk.

Fry, 29, allowed eight earned runs and nine total with seven walks in 12 innings with the Orioles, and they optioned him Thursday morning while recalling infielder Rylan Bannon and closing out their series in St. Louis. He was much more effective in May with no runs allowed and only two hits in five innings, but it didn't save his job.

Manager Brandon Hyde was using Fry in lower leverage situations and getting better results.

Jorge Mateo bounced around for his entire career. 

In 2016, Mateo was ranked the 30th best prospect in baseball as a member of the New York Yankees organization. The speedster was traded to Oakland in 2017, and was traded once again to San Diego in 2020. 

That year, the shortstop finally made his debut for the Padres. Except, that season, he didn’t play a single game at the position he came up playing through the minor leagues. Mateo played seven games in the outfield, five games at second base, and spent four games as a designated hitter. 

The 2021 season was no different. Mateo spent most of his time in center field for the Padres, and upon being claimed by the Orioles, played mostly second base.

This year, however, Mateo finally got his chance. The pieces fell into place for Mateo to be an every day starter at just one position; shorstop. And so far, the 26-year-old has taken full advantage of that opportunity.