Orioles select Wojciechowski contract, activate Lucas

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles no longer have Asher Wojciechowski on their taxi squad.

He's in the rotation.

Wojciechowski will become the 14th pitcher to start for the Orioles this season when he takes the ball tonight against the Rays at Tropicana Field. His contract was selected from Triple-A Norfolk after he joined the team yesterday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Pitcher Matt Wotherspoon has been designated for assignment again to make room for Wojciechowski on the 40-man roster. The Orioles outrighted him on April 6 and selected his contract again on June 22. He was optioned four days later.

Wotherspoon made a spot start last night at Norfolk. He allowed eight runs and 10 hits in two appearances with the Orioles over 4 2/3 innings.

The Orioles acquired Wojciechowski from the Indians yesterday for cash considerations and assigned him to Norfolk, but he never made it. Manager Brandon Hyde is adjusting his rotation with John Means headed to the All-Star Game, pushing back Dylan Bundy from tonight to Friday in Toronto.

Wojciechowski is appearing in his first major league game and making his first start since Sept. 30, 2017 with the Reds. He's started 11 times in 30 appearances over parts of two seasons with the Astros and Reds and gone 2-4 with an 8.75 ERA and 1.796 WHIP in 47 1/3 innings in the rotation.

Left-handed hitters have slashed .331/.397/.620 against Wojciechowski in the majors. Right-handers have slashed .258/.307/.490.

Wojciechowski made 12 starts among 19 appearances with Norfolk last summer and went 5-4 with a 3.51 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 84 2/3 innings. The Orioles released him July 18. He signed a minor league deal with the Indians on Feb. 14 and was 8-2 with a 3.61 ERA and 1.16 WHIP this year in 15 starts with Triple-A Columbus.

The Orioles used 14 starters last season and already have matched that total. The list in 2019 includes Bundy (16), Andrew Cashner (16), David Hess (13), Means (13), Dan Straily (eight), Gabriel Ynoa (seven), Alex Cobb (three), Nate Karns (two), Jimmy Yacabonis (two), Tom Eshelman (one), Sean Gilmartin (one), Luis Ortiz (one) and Yefry Ramirez (one).

Shawn Armstrong would have started over the weekend if rain pushed Cashner to the bullpen.

Only two Rays players have faced Wojciechowski. Tommy Pham is 2-for-5 with a double and Mike Zunino is 0-for-2 with two strikeouts.

Wojciechowki will wear No. 29.

Also, the Orioles reinstated reliever Josh Lucas from the 10-day injured list and optioned Eshelman, who made his major league debut last night and allowed two runs in five innings - retiring 13 of the last 15 batters.

Note: The Orioles opened the 2019-20 international signing period with 27 agreements. Highlighting the group are outfielder Luis González, left-hander Luis Ortiz and shortstop Leonel Sánchez

Sixteen players are from the Dominican Republic, eight from Venezuela and one each from Aruba, the Bahamas and Colombia.

Here's the full story from Steve Melewski on MASNsports.com.