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Orioles add pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne, place catcher Matt Wieters on paternity leave

Odrisamer Despaigne of the Baltimore Orioles delivers a pitch in the eighth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 30, 2016 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Tom Szczerbowski / Getty Images)

Right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne joined the Orioles on Saturday to supplement a bullpen that needed 7 1/3 innings of relief last night behind Wade Miley.

The club also placed catcher Matt Wieters on the paternity leave list and called up catcher Francisco Pena from Triple-A Norfolk.

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Manager Buck Showalter used Ubaldo Jimenez, Tyler Wilson and Vance Worley for seven innings total, and the team optioned Wilson back to Norfolk after Friday's game to brace for this move.

Despaigne was with the team for seven weeks over the course of June and July, serving in a long-relief capacity and performing well until the end of his stint. He posted a 4.81 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP in 24 1/3 innings (15 appearances) in his first stint with the Orioles, then returned to the rotation in Norfolk.

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On either side of his major league time, Despaigne, 29, went 1-7 with a 3.48 ERA in 15 starts for the Tides. After returning there on Aug. 2, Despaigne made three starts with a 2.92 ERA in 12 1/3 innings.

He was scheduled to start Saturday for Norfolk, and the length he provides is important given the fact that Chris Tillman hadn't pitched since shoulder discomfort cropped up last week.

The Virginian-Pilot first reported that Despaigne was joining the team.

Wieters leaves the team to be with his wife, Maria, for the birth of their second child. The paternity list allows for Wieters to be away from the team for up to three days.

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Pena batted .219 with one homer in nine games with the Orioles this season, while Caleb Joseph was on the disabled list. He's batting .246 in 54 games with the Tides.

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