Breaking News: The Orioles have claimed right-hander Brooks Kriske off waivers from the Reds and assigned him to Triple-A Norfolk. To make room on their 40-man roster, the Orioles designated left-hander Nick Vespi for assignment, as reported by Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.
Cincinnati had designated Kriske for assignment earlier this week, allowing him to return to a former team. Kriske had a rough stint with the Orioles in 2021, posting a 12.27 ERA in four games before being released and signing with Japan’s Yokohama BayStars. After returning to North America, he had a 4.05 ERA in 6 2/3 innings with the Royals and a brief stint with the Seibu Lions in Japan.
Kriske signed a minor league deal with the Reds this winter and had a solid 3.10 ERA with a high 36.7% strikeout rate in 49 1/3 innings at Triple-A Louisville. However, he also had a high 14.8% walk rate and a very low .205 BABIP. Despite his strong strikeout numbers, Kriske has struggled with control throughout his career.
The Orioles have decided to bring Kriske back for another chance in their organization. However, if he is called up to the majors, he lacks minor-league options, which could limit his flexibility. Vespi, who is in his final option year, has been shuttled between the majors and Triple-A Norfolk five times this season, likely influencing the Orioles’ decision to designate him for assignment.
Vespi has been frequently moved between Baltimore and Norfolk over his three MLB seasons, despite solid performance. He has a 3.88 ERA in 53 1/3 career MLB innings, including a 2.92 ERA in 12 1/3 innings in 2024. However, his walk rate has soared to 15.9% at Triple-A this season, contributing to a 7.71 ERA in 37 1/3 innings, which seems inconsistent with his previous Triple-A success. This might make him an appealing target for other teams looking to claim him off waivers.
