Orioles acquire Vidal Nuño from Dodgers

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter mentioned today that his club had 54 players in major league camp, the lowest total in baseball. Left-hander Vidal Nuño temporarily made it 55.

The Orioles have acquired Nuño from the Dodgers for minor league pitcher Ryan Moseley. They had been awaiting the approval of ownership.

Left-hander T.J. McFarland was designated for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster, again leaving the Orioles with 54.

Showalter wants to carry a left-handed long reliever/swingman in his bullpen and Nuño, 29, fits the description. He's 5-20 with a 4.02 ERA and 1.260 WHIP in 126 games, including 42 starts, with the Yankees, Diamondbacks and Mariners. His major league debut came in 2013, so he's approaching his fifth organization in a short period of time.

The Dodgers acquired Nuño from the Mariners on Nov. 7 for catcher Carlos Ruiz, but he's on the move again. He went 1-1 with a 3.53 ERA in 55 games (one start) with Seattle last summer.

The bullpen will include closer Zach Britton and rookie Donnie Hart. McFarland is out of options and figured to be impacted by the trade.

"Our scouts like how Nuño competes in the American League and old-school baseball people will appreciate how he works fast, throws strikes and changes speeds," said executive vice president Dan Duquette. "We look forward to his contributions to the 2017 club."

Nuño is part of Team Mexico's roster for the World Baseball Classic, which will force him to leave camp along with five other Orioles.

Nuño is under team control through 2019 and will make $1.125 million next season. Left-handers are hitting .224/.285/.356 against him.

The Orioles drafted Moseley in the eighth round last year out of Texas Tech and he went 0-1 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 relief appearances. Nathan Showalter, the son of Orioles manager Buck Showalter, scouted and signed Moseley.

The Baltimore Sun first reported that the trade was close.