Orioles sign Heath Bell to minor league deal (O's lead 4-0)

Seeking to improve their bullpen depth and provide options at closer down the road, the Orioles have agreed to terms with veteran right-hander Heath Bell on a minor league contract and will assign him to Triple-A Norfolk. Bell is expected to sign his contract later tonight. Executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed the agreement in a text message, referring to Bell as "an interesting sign for 3A." The Orioles didn't have much interest in Bell, 36, over the winter after the Rays signed Grant Balfour and began contacting teams. However, Tommy Hunter has allowed 28 baserunners in 15 innings and has blown his last two save opportunities, and manager Buck Showalter called upon left-hander Zach Britton in the ninth inning last night with the Orioles holding a 2-1 lead over the Royals. Bell's contract includes two opt-out dates. Sounds like a low-risk type of deal. The Rays released Bell on May 11, a week after designating him for assignment. He posted a 7.27 ERA in 17 1/3 innings over 13 relief appearances. Bell was 5-2 with a 4.11 ERA and 15 saves in 69 games with the Diamondbacks last year. He was a bust with the Marlins in 2012, going 4-5 with a 5.09 ERA and 19 saves in 73 games after signing a three-year, $27 million contract. He registered 42, 47 and 43 saves in three straight seasons with the Padres, earning an All-Star nod each year, before joining the Marlins. Preston Guilmet has been serving as Norfolk's primary closer this season. Bell may be given save opportunities now that he's joining the team. As for tonight's game in Kansas City, Chris Tillman has tossed three scoreless innings - allowing two hits - to clear the hurdle that I wrote about earlier. The first and second innings have been challenging for him, but not tonight. Tillman has thrown 25 of his 37 pitches for strikes. Update: The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the fourth against Jeremy Guthrie on Nelson Cruz's RBI single and Steve Clevenger's fielder's choice grounder. Nice hustle by Clevenger, the Pride of Pigtown, to avoid a double play. Cruz has 36 RBIs this season. The rally started with Manny Machado's bunt single and Guthrie's throwing error. A wild pitch moved Machado to third. Update II: Give Cruz another RBI, this one on a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning that scored Adam Jones and increased the Orioles' lead to 3-0. Cruz has 37 RBIs to go with his 12 home runs. Tillman is shutting out the Royals on three hits over seven innings and is in line for his fourth quality start. The Orioles' rotation had 13 before tonight. Update III: Chris Davis homered for the first time since coming off the disabled list, and the Orioles lead 4-0 in the eighth inning. Davis' third homer of the season came on a 93 mph sinker from Guthrie. It's no longer a save situation, folks.