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The Orioles have cleared their position-player logjam by trading infielder Oscar Salazar to the San Diego Padres for right-handed submarine reliever Cla Meredith.
Meredith, 26, was 4-2 with a 4.17 ERA in 36 2/3 innings and 35 games for the Padres. He will join the Orioles in New York either Tuesday or Wednesday, said Orioles president Andy MacPhail.
"He gets a lot of ground balls, he will be new to our league and that could be beneficial," MacPhail said. "He'll give us a different look in the bullpen."
A Richmond, Va., native, Meredith was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2004 amateur draft out of Virginia Commonwealth University and traded to the Padres in 2006 as part of the deal for catcher Doug Mirabelli. He is 14-12 with a 3.49 ERA in 236 big-league games over parts of five seasons.
Meredith has one minor-league option remaining, but he will stay with the big-league club once he arrives in New York, MacPhail said.
The Orioles will then have to make another move, which is expected to be the demotion of a reliever, likely rookie Kam Mickolio. Both Mickolio and Matt Albers have minor-league options remaining.
Salazar, who batted .419 with two homers for the Orioles in 31 at-bats this season, played first, third and designated hitter and excelled as a pinch hitter (9-for-22 in two seasons with the Orioles). But he became the victim of a roster crunch; the club needed to promote David Hernandez to pitch Monday's game at Yankee Stadium.
Salazar, 31, and fourth outfielder Felix Pie, 24, were the most likely candidates to be moved, but Pie is younger and gives the Orioles insurance at every outfield position. Both were out of options and neither was expected to clear waivers.
"Some other teams had interest in Oscar," MacPhail said. "But San Diego showed the most interest and we were able to secure a major league relief pitcher."
When asked before Sunday's 10-2 win over the Chicago White Sox about potentially leaving the Orioles, Salazar said: "I really don't want to think about it. I don't know what's going to come tomorrow or the next day. So I just try to concentrate on doing my job."
Meredith, 26, was 4-2 with a 4.17 ERA in 36 2/3 innings and 35 games for the Padres. He will join the Orioles in New York either Tuesday or Wednesday, said Orioles president Andy MacPhail.
"He gets a lot of ground balls, he will be new to our league and that could be beneficial," MacPhail said. "He'll give us a different look in the bullpen."
A Richmond, Va., native, Meredith was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2004 amateur draft out of Virginia Commonwealth University and traded to the Padres in 2006 as part of the deal for catcher Doug Mirabelli. He is 14-12 with a 3.49 ERA in 236 big-league games over parts of five seasons.
Meredith has one minor-league option remaining, but he will stay with the big-league club once he arrives in New York, MacPhail said.
The Orioles will then have to make another move, which is expected to be the demotion of a reliever, likely rookie Kam Mickolio. Both Mickolio and Matt Albers have minor-league options remaining.
Salazar, who batted .419 with two homers for the Orioles in 31 at-bats this season, played first, third and designated hitter and excelled as a pinch hitter (9-for-22 in two seasons with the Orioles). But he became the victim of a roster crunch; the club needed to promote David Hernandez to pitch Monday's game at Yankee Stadium.
Salazar, 31, and fourth outfielder Felix Pie, 24, were the most likely candidates to be moved, but Pie is younger and gives the Orioles insurance at every outfield position. Both were out of options and neither was expected to clear waivers.
"Some other teams had interest in Oscar," MacPhail said. "But San Diego showed the most interest and we were able to secure a major league relief pitcher."
When asked before Sunday's 10-2 win over the Chicago White Sox about potentially leaving the Orioles, Salazar said: "I really don't want to think about it. I don't know what's going to come tomorrow or the next day. So I just try to concentrate on doing my job."
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