Baltimore Orioles Call Up Reliever Nick Vespi, Send Down Veteran Cole Irvin
The Baltimore Orioles have recalled left-handed pitcher Nick Vespi, the team announced Wednesday.
To make room for Vespi, the Orioles have optioned left-handed pitcher Cole Irvin to Triple-A Norfolk.
This marks Vespi's fifth stint in the majors since the start of the season. In nine appearances, the 27-year-old reliever is 1-0 with a 4.30 ERA and 1.227 WHIP. Vespi made his big league debut in 2022, going 5-0 with a 4.10 ERA and 1.405 WHIP across 25 appearances.
Vespi has thrived whenever's he been sent back down to the minors, as he is 6-1 with a 1.38 ERA, 0.918 WHIP and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings in Triple-A over the past two seasons.
While he hasn't enjoyed that level of success in Baltimore, Vespi has only allowed an earned run in three of his nine MLB outings so far this season.
Irvin, meanwhile, is an experienced starter who joined the Orioles via trade in January. All 62 of Irvin's appearances with the Oakland Athletics in 2021 and 2022 came as a starter, and he became one of the club's most reliable arms with a 4.11 ERA in 359.1 innings of action.
However, Irvin only made 12 starts in Baltimore this season, compared to 11 relief appearances.
The Orioles have managed to go 8-4 in Irvin's starts, despite his 4.81 ERA and 1.310 WHIP in that role. Meanwhile, Irvin has a 3.63 ERA and 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings as a reliever this season.
Irvin has even managed to post a 0.00 ERA, 0.529 WHIP and .143 batting average against since getting dropped out of the starting rotation on Sept. 1.
Still, the Orioles are opting to go with Vespi as they close out their three-game set with the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. A home series against the Tampa Bay Rays next up on the schedule.
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