September 5: Banuelos cleared waivers and accepted an outright again to Norfolk, the Orioles introduced.
September 2: The Orioles introduced this morning that they’ve chosen the contract of infielder/outfielder Nick Maton. To make room for Maton on the membership’s 40-man and energetic rosters, catcher David Banuelos has been designated for task.
Maton, 27, is again on the Orioles’ energetic roster for the second time this yr. He made a two-inning cameo on protection at second base earlier this yr however didn’t step as much as the plate earlier than being designated for task and outrighted off the 40-man roster again in June. The versatile fielder has been taking part in for the membership’s Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk ever since, and his season there has gone fairly properly. In 86 video games on the stage this season, Maton has raked to the tune of a .261/.368/.477 slash line with a 13.2% stroll charge and 16 homers in 340 journeys to the plate. Along with that robust exhibiting on the plate, Maton has flashed his versatility by splitting time between all 4 infield spots in addition to each outfielder corners.
Now in his fourth season within the majors, Maton loved success in a part-time function with the Phillies in the course of the first two seasons of his profession as he slashed a strong .254/.330/.434 in 216 journeys to the plate throughout a mixed 86 video games in these years. Maton went on to be traded to the Tigers as a part of the Gregory Soto commerce in the course of the 2022-23 offseason, however his time in Detroit left a lot to be desired. In 93 video games with the Tigers final yr, Maton hit a paltry .173/.288/.305 throughout 293 plate appearances, a tough efficiency that led the infielder to be designated for task over the winter and finally swapped to Baltimore in a money deal again in February.
Even regardless of these offensive struggles final yr, Maton’s earlier success in Philadelphia on the massive league stage and his robust minor league numbers with the Orioles this yr present some purpose for optimism that he may be an efficient bench bat for the membership. A return to type would make Maton a precious piece for the Orioles down the stretch, notably because the membership weathers the losses of Jorge Mateo, Jordan Westburg, and Ramon Urias to the injured listing across the infield. Mateo is finished for the yr after present process elbow surgical procedure final week, and whereas there’s optimism that each Westburg and Urias will return to motion earlier than the top of the season neither has a selected timetable for return so far. That leaves Maton because the membership’s major backup on the infield behind kids Gunnar Henderson at shortstop, Jackson Holliday at second base, and Coby Mayo at third, although Emmanuel Rivera might additionally chip in on the sizzling nook from time to time.
As for Banuelos, the catcher was chosen to the large league roster simply yesterday to exchange the injured Urias on the membership’s roster. He didn’t in the end make it into yesterday’s sport earlier than being designated for task, and he figures to go again to the minors with only one massive league plate look beneath his belt from when he pinch hit for Colton Cowser again in April throughout his final cup of espresso on the massive league stage. In 22 video games on the Triple-A stage this yr, Banuelos sports activities a .225/.361/.352 slash line throughout 86 journeys to the plate.
