The Baltimore Orioles are in the heat of a fierce battle to win the American League East. But lately, they've been fighting that battle without several key soldiers.
Entering play Wednesday, the Orioles led the New York Yankees by half a game atop the East, with just 35 games to go. They also have a great shot at the AL's number-one seed, currently locked in a virtual tie with the Cleveland Guardians.
After injuries to All-Star infielder Jordan Westburg and speedster Jorge Mateo, the Orioles have been shorthanded on the diamond for weeks. Top prospect Jackson Holliday has taken over the starting second base gig, but the third base role remains murky.
Currently, the Orioles are starting Ramón Urías at third in most games, but they don't have many other options at the hot corner defensively. That prompted them to bring in help from outside the organization on Wednesday.
The Orioles announced on X that they had claimed infielder Emmanuel Rivera off waivers from the Miami Marlins. To clear space for Rivera on the 40-man roster, utility player Terrin Vavra was designated for assignment.
Rivera, 28, played in 96 games with Miami this season, batting .214 with one home run and a .563 OPS. He was a member of the 2023 National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks and appeared on their World Series roster, going 2-for-5 in Arizona's loss to the Texas Rangers.
The Orioles will be Rivera's fourth MLB team in a four-year career. He originally broke in with the Kansas City Royals in 2021.
Ironically, Rivera became available because the Marlins promoted former Orioles prospect Connor Norby, who they traded to Miami at the July 31 deadline, to their major-league roster.
Rivera appears likely to share time with Urías at third base, which has been his primary position this season. He has played in 77 games at the hot corner this season, with an additional 13 appearances at first base.
Though Rivera's numbers are far from eye-popping, any hitter can catch lightning in a bottle with the right team. The Orioles certainly hope to have Westburg back for the postseason, but if they don't, it's always good to have options.
And if nothing else, Rivera made it to the World Series last season, which is where the Orioles hope to go. He can certainly teach them a lesson or two along the way.
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