The Orioles are turning once again to a familiar stopgap, bringing back Albert Suarez for the fifth time this season as they line up arms for the final series against the Yankees.
To make room, Baltimore optioned Trey Gibson to the Spring Training complex and moved Kyle Bradish to the 60-day injured list to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
Suarez has become a recurring answer for the Orioles all year. He’s been designated for assignment five times, but each time he’s found his way back into the organization, either by accepting an outright assignment or by signing a fresh minor league deal. The setup has been simple and effective for both sides: Baltimore gets a fresh arm when it needs one, and Suarez keeps collecting chances - and MLB paychecks - while shuttling between the majors and the minors.
In the big leagues, Suarez has held his own. He owns a 4.12 ERA across 29 appearances, and while he has started games for Baltimore in the past, this season he has worked strictly out of the bullpen.
Gibson’s season, meanwhile, closes with plenty of ups and downs. The right-hander has been sent up and down multiple times, and his first major league campaign ends with a 6.13 ERA in nine appearances, including eight starts. He’s still regarded as one of the more promising pitching prospects in the system, and he spent most of the season at Triple-A after reaching that level late last year.
The 24-year-old did miss bats in the minors, but his command was always the question, and that issue got louder in the majors. Gibson posted a 14.6% walk rate in 39 2/3 innings with the Orioles. Even so, he finished on a strong note, throwing 6 2/3 scoreless innings against the Blue Jays in the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
Bradish landed on the injured list in mid-September with lower abdominal discomfort, and the issue was later identified as a sports hernia. The team’s latest word was that he was considering surgery, and if he goes that route, the usual recovery timeline would have him positioned for Spring Training in 2027.
In Other News...
Orioles Doubleheader Featured A Baseball First Few Fans Ever Expected
A quirky bit of baseball history unfolded at Camden Yards during the Blue Jays-Orioles doubleheader, when identical twins Austin and Tyler Jones became the first twins to work the same umpiring crew in a Major League Baseball game. The siblings have shared crews before in the minors, but this was their first time doing it on the sports biggest stage, a rare pairing that gave an ordinary April doubleheader a little extra texture.
Their families were there to see it, which made the moment feel even more personal in a setting usually defined by routine calls and fast pacing. For the Jones brothers, it was clearly more than a scheduling oddity, and for everyone in the park, it was the kind of baseball-first detail that tends to stick with you long after the final out. [Read more 🡒]
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Just Gave Orioles Fans More To Say About Toronto
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has made himself a familiar talking point in Baltimore over the years, and his latest comments only give Orioles fans more reason to keep one eye on Toronto. Speaking about his down season, Guerrero said his contract was built on what he had already done, not on a promise about what was still ahead, a reminder of how much weight follows a player with that kind of profile and expectation.
Guerrero did express regret about how this year unfolded, but he stood by the original remark and framed the whole situation as part of the pressure that comes with a major deal. He also said he is continuing to work hard to get better for next season, leaving the Blue Jays star with one more layer of scrutiny as Baltimore keeps tracking every turn in the division race. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Fans Sent A Clear Message Despite One Worry Looming
The Orioles final home game of the season still drew a reminder of how quickly the mood around Camden Yards can shift. A rainout the day before left the stands thinner than usual for the doubleheader opener, but the second game brought back the kind of energy Baltimore fans have shown all year, with the crowd sounding more like a team still in the hunt than one wrapping up the calendar.
Pete Alonso also had the larger picture on his mind, even as the Orioles finished out their home schedule. With the leagues labor deal set to expire in December, there is already some worry about what comes next, though Alonso said he hopes negotiations are resolved without any games being lost, pointing back to the 2022 lockout as a warning sign. Craig Albernaz, meanwhile, noticed the support from the stands and had reason to appreciate it, even with the uncertainty hanging over the sport. [Read more 🡒]