MLB Player News

Baker will be on the Orioles' Opening Day roster, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.

Baker allowed just one run on one hit and one walk with four strikeouts over four innings in spring training. The 27-year-old made his major-league debut with the Blue Jays last season before being claimed by the Orioles on waivers the previous November. His strong spring will allow him to start the season in a low-leverage role out of the bullpen, though the Orioles' lack of relief depth could see him move up the pecking order if he pitches well.

Manager Brandon Hyde said Wednesday that Krehbiel secured a spot on the Orioles' Opening Day roster, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.

Krehbiel was a late-season waiver claim from the Rays in September, and he'll have a chance to pitch in a relief role to begin this season. The 29-year-old allowed four runs on six hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in five innings during spring training. Given the lack of bullpen depth on the major-league roster, a hot start from Krehbiel could see him eventually push for high-leverage assignments.

Tate (illness) threw Wednesday and is expected to be fine for Opening Day, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Tate missed some time late in camp due to a sore throat, but he's slated to join the Orioles' Opening Day bullpen following Wednesday's throwing session. Since Cole Sulser and Tanner Scott were recently traded to Miami, Tate should be firmly in the mix for high-leverage work early in the regular season.

Chafin (groin) was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday.

Chafin was diagnosed with a left groin strain late in spring training, and he'll officially land on the IL to begin the regular season. The move is retroactive to April 4, but it's not yet clear when the southpaw will be able to make his 2022 debut.

Vest's contract was selected by the Tigers on Wednesday.

Vest was informed Tuesday that he'll begin the season on the major-league roster, and the Tigers made the move official a day later as part of a large batch of transactions to finalize the roster. The 26-year-old made six relief appearances this spring and posted a 4.50 ERA, 9:3 K:BB and 1.33 WHIP in six innings.

Snead will open the season as one of three left-handers in the Athletics' bullpen, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Snead just arrived in Oakland on March 16 as part of the trade that sent Matt Chapman to the Blue Jays, and he put together a solid spring that included a 1-0 record and 3.60 ERA across five innings in six appearances. The 27-year-old also made an impression during his first taste of the big leagues last season in Toronto, recording a 2.35 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in seven outings. He'll likely see plenty of matchup-based work to start the season in a fluid role behind closer Lou Trivino.

Puk will open the season as one of three left-handers in the Athletics' bullpen, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

There'd been some talk from manager Mark Kotsay about Puk possibly being back in play for a rotation spot in the immediate wake of Sean Manaea's trade to the Padres. However, with Adam Oller having secured the No. 5 role in the rotation to start the season and James Kaprielian (shoulder) expected to be available by the end of the month, Puk is back to opening the 2022 campaign in the bullpen, where he'll look to start putting an uneven spring that saw him generate a 6.52 ERA across 9.2 innings over six appearances behind him.

Cisnero was placed on the 60-day injured list Wednesday with a right shoulder strain, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

The reliever suffered a right elbow laceration when he fell down the stairs in September, ending his 2021 campaign prematurely. The injury wasn't a concern heading into the spring, however, as Detroit signed him to a one-year, $1.9 million contract in his first year of arbitration, per Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. Cisnero got off to a slow start to camp and experienced renewed soreness following a Grapefruit League appearance Sunday, but the injury is related to his shoulder rather than his elbow this time around. As a result of his diagnosis, Cisnero will be forced to miss the first couple months of the season. With Andrew Chafin (groin) also opening the season on the IL, the Tigers' bullpen depth will be tested early in 2022.

Lakins was reassigned to minor-league camp Wednesday, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.

Lakins was sidelined for the second half of the 2021 campaign due to an elbow injury, but he was fully healthy for spring training this year. He posted a 3.68 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 7.1 innings across his four relief appearances in the Grapefruit League but will be forced to start the regular season at Triple-A Norfolk.

Manager Brandon Hyde said Zimmermann will be included in the Orioles' season-opening rotation and will make his first start in Monday's home opener versus the Brewers, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.

Despite serving up three home runs across his three Grapefruit League outings, Zimmermann's tidy 9:2 K:BB over his eight innings looks like it was enough for him to break camp as the team's No. 4 starter. In what seems to be an annual tradition, the Orioles are short on impact arms, so the bar will be low for Zimmermann to maintain a regular starting role if the Orioles aren't willing to rush top pitching prospects Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall to the majors. The 27-year-old lefty turned in a rather underwhelming rookie season in 2021, finishing with a 5.04 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 11.9 K-BB% in 64.1 innings.