The Orioles didn’t wait around when Luis Robert Jr. hit waivers, and they weren’t alone in thinking he could matter right now.
Baltimore claimed the outfielder two days later on Aug. 31, but a source familiar with the situation said multiple teams behind them in the waiver order had interest as well. The Padres were among the clubs that submitted a claim, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. For Baltimore and the other contenders, the appeal was obvious: a postseason chase tends to make defense and power look a lot like necessities.
That urgency fits Baltimore’s spot in the standings. At 69-70, the Orioles entered Wednesday just 1.5 games out of the third and final American League Wild Card position. They also had a clear opening in the outfield after moving Taylor Ward to the Seattle Mariners at the trade deadline, and Robert gives them a right-handed bat with some pop.
The cost is manageable for a team still trying to stay alive. Baltimore is responsible for $5 million total - $3 million for the rest of the season and a $2 million buyout on the club option. Robert has a $20 million club option for this winter, and that option will likely be declined.
This also adds another twist to the Orioles’ relationship with the Mets. Baltimore already pulled Pete Alonso away from New York in free agency this past offseason, signing the first baseman to a five-year, $155 million deal.
That move has paid off immediately. Alonso is hitting .342/.421/.640 with 10 homers and 24 RBI over his last 30 games, and he’s up to 32 homers, 91 RBI and an .859 OPS on the year while appearing in all 139 games.
Robert arrives with a different kind of profile, but the upside is just as appealing. When he’s right, he can do a little bit of everything, and August gave a reminder of that.
In 75 at-bats last month, he hit .267/.321/.520 with an .841 OPS, six home runs and 11 RBI. He also gives Baltimore quality defense in center field and the flexibility to move to left if needed, a spot where he’s comfortable.
The injuries are the obvious concern. Robert has spent much of his MLB career fighting them, and this season he missed close to three months with the Mets because of a lumbar spine disc herniation. Still, that issue is now behind him, and his recent production was enough to make him a real waiver target.
The fit in Baltimore is easy to see. Robert is expected to share center field with left-handed hitter Colton Cowser over the final stretch, and the split makes sense on paper: Cowser is batting just .159 with a .482 OPS against lefties this season, while Robert owns a .285 average and .856 OPS for his career against southpaws. Robert has also recorded two defensive runs saved in the outfield this year and adds speed on the bases.
There’s still a ceiling here that jumps off the page. Robert is only three years removed from a 2023 All-Star season with the White Sox, when he hit 38 homers, stole 20 bases and posted an .857 OPS. He also swiped a career-high 33 bases for Chicago last season.
Baltimore’s four-game winning streak ended Tuesday night, but the club has still won seven of its last 10. With the standings tightening and the schedule narrowing, Robert gives the Orioles another shot of juice at exactly the moment they need one.
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Playoff Power Bat Slipped Away For One Reason Padres Could Not Control
The Orioles have a chance to jump the line for a player who suddenly found himself available in the middle of the stretch run. The Mets placed outfielder Luis Robert Jr. on outright waivers, and Baltimore claimed him, giving the club a shot at adding a proven bat without having to wait for the usual trade-market wrangling. For a team still sorting out its late-season picture, that kind of waiver claim can carry real weight.
Baltimores path to Robert came with a bit of timing and a little luck, since the Padres were also in the mix but did not have the waiver priority to get it done. Even so, the move does not immediately change Roberts status with New York, because he remains eligible to keep playing for the Mets while the waiver process plays out. That leaves the Orioles watching a situation that is still unresolved, but one with plenty of implications if it lands their way. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Roster Churn Just Cost Them More Pitching Depth
The Orioles recent roster churn reached another pitching layer when the Mets claimed right-hander Cameron Weston off waivers and sent him to Triple-A Syracuse. Weston had been in Baltimores organization as another arm worth keeping around for depth, the kind of pitcher teams are reluctant to lose when the staff is already stretched thin, but the waiver process left the Orioles exposed.
Shawn Ross was the corresponding move on New Yorks side, with the catcher designated for assignment to clear a 40-man spot. Ross now goes on waivers and could be claimed again, or outrighted if he clears, while Baltimore is left sorting through yet another reminder that pitching depth can disappear quickly when roster spots start moving around. [Read more 🡒]