Orioles select contract of Jay Flaa (updated)

A fifth Orioles player is poised to make his major league debut this month.

The Orioles selected the contract of right-handed reliever Jay Flaa from the alternate training site this afternoon and optioned left-hander Zac Lowther to the Bowie complex.

The Orioles wanted a fresh bullpen arm to begin their four-game series against the Yankees. Lowther pitched the ninth inning yesterday.

Flaa's stay could be short. Dean Kremer is eligible to return on Wednesday and a spot must be cleared for him.

The 40-man roster had an opening for Flaa today after the Orioles announced left-hander Wade LeBlanc would be designated for assignment.

"He had a big smile on his face," said manager Brandon Hyde. "I know Jay from the last few spring trainings. He's been one of our backups a lot and got to know him a little bit. Really like him a lot. He's really well-liked by all the players and the coaches in the organization. Just a pro. You feel great for somebody like that who's really put their time in, rode the buses, been on the early morning flights in Triple-A, and to call himself a big leaguer, that's a special moment."

Flaa, 28, was drafted in the sixth round in 2015 out of North Dakota State University. He's gone 15-10 with a 3.41 ERA and 1.222 WHIP in 165 games, with only three starts - all of them in 2019 with Triple-A Norfolk.

Only six starts were handed to Flaa during his three years in college, where he made 36 relief appearances.

During the 2019 season, Flaa compiled a 2.81 ERA and 1.438 WHIP in 11 games with Double-A Bowie, and a 5.24 ERA and 1.436 WHIP in 29 games with Norfolk. He's averaged 4.2 walks and 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings in the minors, and 0.8 home runs.

The Orioles used Flaa in three exhibition games this spring, and he allowed one run and two hits in 2 2/3 innings. He walked three batters and struck out three.

Flaa appeared in Tuesday's alternate site game against the Nationals and retired the only batter he faced. He worked 1 2/3 scoreless and hitless innings in his previous outing, walking one batter and striking out two.

"Throwing the ball well at the alternate site, can give us multiple innings," Hyde said. "Our bullpen has been pretty taxed here the last few days, and to have somebody that hasn't pitched in a couple days, can pick up a couple innings for us, that's why we went with Jay. And excited to see Jay. He's a guy that's been in this organization for a while. He's really grinded it out in the minor leagues and the upper levels. He's pumped to be here, so it was fun to see his face today."

Flaa, who's wearing No. 77, received the unexpected news this morning from his Triple-A and alternate site manager.

"Gary Kendall called me this morning just before 10 o'clock and I was just kind of waking up," Flaa said. "Obviously told me, 'Congratulations, you're going to Baltimore,' and I thought he was messing around with me right away and I asked if he was serious. He was like, 'Obviously I wouldn't joke around about that,' so it was a pretty big shock to me.

"For me it was definitely surprise factor, but it just kind of like the feeling of a lot of hard work coming to fruition and everything and seeing all the work I put in this off-season and trying to reinvent myself as a pitcher and everything. In their eyes they're starting to recognize me, so for me that was everything."

Lowther tossed a scoreless inning yesterday, with a single and strikeout, to complete the Orioles' 8-1 win over the Athletics. He wouldn't have been used on back-to-back days.

"He pitched really well yesterday and I know that he'll be back soon, so it's just one of those things," Hyde said, "but he's still really early in his career and young and looking forward to having him back here at some point."

Rule 5 pitchers Mac Sceroler and Tyler Wells and outfielder Ryan McKenna also made their major league debuts this month.

Flaa cleaned up his arm path over the winter and noticed an increase in his velocity and sharpening of his pitches. He made physical and mental changes and got noticed.

"I think in spring training for me it was really important to just kind of hit the ground running as far as how I've been feeling in the offseason," Flaa said, "and I think that kind of showed in their eyes that they could see that I was a different pitcher from years past."

Other pitchers at Bowie are noticing that the Orioles are paying close attention to results and reports, and they don't have to be a top prospect to get the call:

"I would absolutely like to think that a lot of guys see me as an example of someone who kind of came from under the radar like that and how fast things can change," Flaa said. "I went to bed last night as a regular minor leaguer and woke up this morning and my life changed forever. So things can happen that fast, and with the hard work and mindset, for me, to have it pay off has been unbelievable."

Flaa can become the 20th player from North Dakota to appear in a major league game, including former Orioles pitcher Rick Helling.

"It's not exactly a hotbed for baseball," he said, "but it's crazy to see the amount of support that I've had. Just today from people reaching out from back home and stuff like that has been remarkable, and knowing that people are following me in my career and everything, and it means a lot."

Hyde said he'll announce his Wednesday starter on Tuesday.

Josh Rogers is starting today against the Nationals in Bowie.