Orioles place Voth on injured list and bring up Garrett

The Orioles weren’t finished with their roster moves this afternoon.

Unfortunate business as usual.

Reliever Austin Voth was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow discomfort. Reliever Reed Garrett had his contract selected from Triple-A Norfolk to fill the gap in the bullpen.

To make room for Garrett on the 40-man, Mark Kolozsvary was designated for assignment less than 24 hours after the Orioles selected his contract and let him catch the ninth inning.

Voth retired only one batter last night and allowed two runs and three hits with one walk. His homerless streak ended at 17 appearances when pinch-hitter Cavan Biggio took him deep leading off the eighth.

The discomfort first surfaced in spring training, which led the Orioles to shut him down.

“Kind of been trying to manage it on and off this year,” manager Brandon Hyde said, “and it got to a point last night where we felt like, put him on the IL and give him a couple weeks to let it rest.”

An MRI on Voth’s elbow came back clean, and Hyde said his level of concern was “very low.”

“He should be fine,” Hyde said. “It’s just something he’s tried to manage all season.”

Voth surrendered a home run in each of his first five outings before the 17-game streak. He’s registered a 4.94 ERA and 1.581 WHIP in 23 appearances totaling 31 innings.

“It’s hard to assess (his season) because he has been trying to manage this,” Hyde said.

“Got off to a little bit of a slow start where he was giving up the homers his first few outings. His last couple of outings have been difficult for him. I thought he was kind of getting on a roll there for a little while early and mid-May, but his last few appearances, they have been a little bit rocky and it’s been bothering him, so it’s the right thing to do to let it rest for a little while.”

The Orioles claimed Voth off waivers from the Nationals last summer and he posted a 3.04 ERA and 1.229 WHIP in 22 games, including 17 starts. He averaged 2.7 walks per nine innings, tied for the lowest in his career, but the number has risen to 4.1 this season.

The bullpen already lost Mychal Givens and Dillon Tate to injuries. Givens reported to Double-A Bowie today to begin an injury rehab assignment. Tate will pitch Thursday and Saturday for Triple-A Norfolk.

Garrett, 30, signed a minor league deal with the Orioles in January and allowed seven runs in 7 2/3 innings in spring training. He’s 5-1 with a 1.59 ERA, 1.279 WHIP and three saves in 19 games with Norfolk, surrendering only two home runs and striking out 27 batters in 22 2/3 innings.

The Orioles needed to make a decision on Garrett, who had an opt-out clause in his contract. He made 13 appearances with the Tigers in 2019 and seven with the Nationals last summer, registering a combined 7.66 ERA and 2.351 WHIP with 21 walks in 24 2/3 innings.

The opponents also factored into how the club replaced Voth.

“We feel like we needed a right-handed reliever,” Hyde said. “This team (Blue Jays) is pretty right-handed, and the Cubs are extremely right-handed. He’s been throwing the ball well in Norfolk, got a little bit of major league experience, and we’re going to give him an opportunity up here.”

Kolozsvary already was in Baltimore yesterday when Ryan Mountcastle took batting practice and went on the injured list with vertigo. The team needed a quick replacement, with no time to rush a player from Norfolk.

“We didn’t want to play short yesterday,” Hyde said, “and the situation with Mounty happened late in the day.”

Mountcastle was on the field earlier today, but Hyde didn’t have an update on his condition.

Infielder Joey Ortiz was recalled again this afternoon, with Kolozsvary optioned prior to the DFA. He’s 9-for-25 with two doubles, a triple and two home runs this month after recovering from an illness.

“Joey adds some versatility to us, like he has when he’s been up here before and played extremely well,” Hyde said. “He’s been swinging the bat well the last few games. But Joey adds versatility to our defense. Has swung the bat well against left-handed pitching since he’s been with us. A guy I can play anywhere in the infield. So, it’s a good feeling to have him.”

Ortiz hasn’t been disrupted or discouraged by the shuffling back and forth.

“I think everybody’s aware and understands where we are and we have a lot of good players up here,” Hyde said. “This is what happens when you have a good club.

“I’m impressed with all the guys who have come up and had to go back down. They’ve all taken it extremely well.”

For the Blue Jays
George Springer RF
Bo Bichette SS
Daulton Varsho LF
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. DH
Alejandro Kirk C
Matt Chapman 3B
Kevin Kiermaier CF
Whit Merrifield 2B
Cavan Biggio 1B

José Berríos RHP