Albert Suárez cleared waivers unclaimed after a DFA and rejected an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk, choosing free agency. This is the second time in the season he has gone unclaimed on waivers and elected free agency, after previously re-signing on a new minor league contract. The Orioles had also non-tendered him in November before later re-signing him again. At age 36, he has a 2.75 ERA in 19 2/3 innings for Baltimore, but his strikeout and walk rates are 12.3% and 11.1%. Nearly 80% of batted balls against him have been in the air, with a .186 batting average on balls in play and a 9.2% homer-to-flyball rate. He previously pitched in MLB with the 2016 Giants and later in Japan and Korea before returning to the Orioles in 2024.
"Orioles righty Albert Suárez passed through waivers unclaimed following his recent DFA, the club announced. He rejected an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk and is now a free agent. This marks the second time this season that Suárez has gone unclaimed on waivers and elected free agency. He quickly re-signed on a new minor league contract last time around."
"Suárez, 36, has posted a sharp-looking 2.75 ERA in 19 2/3 frames with Baltimore's big league club this season, but the underlying numbers aren't so rosy. He's only fanned 12.3% of his opponents and issued walks at an unsightly 11.1% clip. Nearly 80% of the batted balls against Suárez have been in the air."
"He's gotten by thus far with help from a tiny .186 average on balls in play and a 9.2% homer-to-flyball rate, but both figure to trend in the opposite direction over a larger sample. Suárez broke into the majors with the 2016 Giants, but his career took off over in Asia after he signed with the Yakult Swallows of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball."
"Overall, since returning to MLB with the '24 Orioles, Suárez has a 3.49 ERA, an 18.6% strikeout rate and a 7.8% walk rate in 165 innings. His strong 2024 season makes up for the bulk of that production, but he's a serviceable depth arm who can operate as a swingman or fifth starter as needed."
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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