Inside The Orioles

Orioles Announce Major Roster Moves to Inject Help to Lineup

The Baltimore Orioles are getting a major infusion of talent into their lineup as Cedric Mullins and Jordan Westburg return from their respective injuries.
Kyle Morton|
May 18, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) reacts to hitting a home run against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
May 18, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) reacts to hitting a home run against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

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Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles announced some major roster moves on Tuesday that will inject some immediate help into their lineup.

The club posted on X that outfielder Cedric Mullins and infielder Jordan Westburg are rejoining the team and being activated from the injured list.

In corresponding moves, the Orioles have optioned outfielder Heston Kjerstad to Triple-A Norfolk and designated infielder Emmanuel Rivera for assignment.

Westburg had missed considerable time with a left hamstring strain, while Mullins was sidelined since May 30 with a right hamstring strain.

In his 23 games this season, Westburg hit .217/.265/.391, all of which were well off his performance level from his breakout 2024 campaign.

Mullins hit the IL with a .232/.324/.448 slash line to his name, enjoying somewhat of a bounceback season from 2024 in terms of on-base percentage and slugging.

If Baltimore fails to go on a run to get back into postseason contention, Mullins could become a hot name on the market ahead of the July 31 MLB Trade deadline.

Kjerstad had struggled in his 2025 action at the MLB level prior to this transaction, hitting under .200 and posting an OPS of just .566.

The other significant part of this move is that it allows Coby Mayo to stay on the 26-man roster, as the big-time prospect got another chance when Ryan Mountcastle hit the injured list earlier this month.

After a nightmarish start to the season, the Orioles have found some better form of late, putting up a 7-3 record in their past 10 games, though they still sit in last place in the American League East division with a 26-38 record.

For more Orioles news, head to Orioles On SI.

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Kyle Morton
KYLE MORTON

Kyle Morton has covered various sports from amateur to professional level athletics. A graduate of Fordham University, Kyle specializes in MLB and NHL coverage while having previous bylines with SB Nation, The Hockey Writers, HighSchoolOT, and Sports World News. He spent time working the beat for the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes and is an avid fan of the NHL, MLB, NFL and college basketball. Enjoys the outdoors and hiking in his free time away from sports.

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