BALTIMORE — The Orioles selected Sam Huff's contract from Triple-A Norfolk before Sunday’s series finale against the Diamondbacks, then started him behind the plate against Eduardo Rodríguez as they shuffled their roster for a day game and a flight to Cleveland afterward.
Baltimore also optioned left-hander Nick Raquet and designated lefty Jayvien Sandridge for assignment, leaving the club with 14 position players and 12 pitchers. The move gave the Orioles three catchers, with Samuel Basallo having caught four days in a row before the addition.
Manager Craig Albernaz said the club wanted to go with other catchers with Adley Rutschman down, and that Huff’s big league experience made him an easy fit. He said Huff also impressed the staff this spring with his defense and with the way he worked with the pitchers and coaches. He added that another roster move should follow in the next few days.
“It’s two-fold,” Albernaz said, explaining the decision to send Raquet out after his brief stay. Raquet had made only his second Orioles appearance the previous night, and Albernaz said the right move was to send him back to Triple-A to keep working rather than keep him on what he called a short-term stop.
The timing mattered because the Orioles were facing a left-handed starter for the first time in 18 games. Huff was in the lineup against Rodríguez, with Taylor Ward serving as the designated hitter, Jeremiah Jackson staying at second base and Coby Mayo at third.
Baltimore entered the day at 9-8, tied for second place with the Yankees and a half-game behind the Rays. The lineup also came in with a rare streak of patience: the Orioles had drawn at least four walks in 12 games this season and seven straight overall, their longest such run since May 1999.
Rodríguez has been one of Baltimore’s tougher matchups for years. He had allowed one earned run in 18 innings this season and had faced the Orioles 25 times in his career, including 23 starts, going 14-5 with a 2.74 ERA in 138 innings against them.
Arizona had its own lineup change. Ketel Marte returned after being scratched the previous night with lower back discomfort, and he had homered twice on Monday. For Baltimore, the bigger change was simple: Huff is here now, the catching group is deeper, and the next move may not be far behind.
