The high-flying Baltimore Orioles have bolstered their bullpen ahead of the crucial final stretch of the 2023 MLB regular season. The team claimed All-Star reliever Jorge Lopez off waivers from the Miami Marlins, confirming the move on Saturday.
Lopez started the season with the Minnesota Twins before being traded to the Marlins in July. He appeared in 49 games combined and has a 6-2 record with a 6.13 ERA and three saves.
After claiming Lopez, the Orioles designated right-hander Logan Gillaspie for assignment. Gillaspie, playing in his second season in MLB, made 11 relief appearances in 2023 and has a 0-1 record with a 6.00 ERA and eight strikeouts.
The move represents a reunion for Lopez and the Orioles, as the Puerto Rico native previously played in Baltimore between 2020 and 2022. Lopez received his only All-Star nod as a member of the Orioles in 2022 before being traded to the Twins in the second part of the season.
Lopez, who also played with the Milwaukee Brewers and the Kansas City Royals, has a career record of 22–40 with a 5.47 ERA, 402 strikeouts, and 27 saves.
It is important to note that Lopez won’t be able to help the Orioles in the postseason. Only the players that were on the team’s 40-man roster or 60-day Injured List before September 1st are eligible to suit up for the playoffs.
