Mariners make 3-player trade with Orioles for bullpen help

NEW YORK (AP) — Right-hander Mike Baumann and minor league catcher Michael Pérez were acquired by the Seattle Mariners in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday for catcher Blake Hunt.

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The 28-year-old Baumann was 1-0 with a 3.44 ERA in 17 relief appearances for the Orioles this season, striking out 16 and walking nine in 18 1/3 innings. He was designated for assignment on Saturday when the Orioles activated right-hander Grayson Rodriguez from the 15-day injured list.

Seattle added Baumann to the active roster ahead of Thursday’s series finale with the Yankees in New York. To make room, right-handed reliever Cody Bolton (15 games, 4.41 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.

Baumann is 13-5 with a 4.45 ERA in four starts and 90 relief appearances over four seasons with the Orioles. He was 10-1 with a 3.76 ERA in 60 relief appearances last season.

The Mariners’ bullpen has been in need of arms with a pair of key relievers out due to injury. Matt Brash, who led MLB in appearances in 2023, has not pitched this year and is out until at least next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Fellow right-hander Gregory Santos, who was a notable offseason trade acquisition by Seattle from the Chicago White Sox, is not expected to make his team debut until July as he works his way back from a right latissimus dorsi strain that has come with multiple setbacks.

The good news for Seattle is its bullpen has needed to pitch just 150 1/3 innings this season, the least in MLB, thanks to a starting rotation that is third in baseball with 290 innings. The Mariners have relied increasingly on closer Andrés Muñoz, however, who has thrown 21 1/3 innings over 20 appearances, including six outings of more than one inning.

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The 31-year-old Pérez hit .221 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 21 games this year at Triple-A Norfolk. He has a .179 average with 15 homers and 61 RBIs in six seasons with Tampa Bay (2018-20), Pittsburgh (2021-22) and the New York Mets (2022-23).

Hunt, 25, is hitting .293 with four homers and 20 RBIs in 23 games this year in Triple-A.

Seattle Sports staff contributed to this post.

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