SARASOTA, Fla. — The Orioles arrived at spring training with 12 left-handed pitchers competing for roster spots. It’s now a baker’s dozen.
The Orioles on Sunday acquired left-hander Matt Krook from the New York Yankees for cash considerations, adding the 29-year-old with minimal big league experience to the 40-man roster as relief depth.
Krook, a fourth-round pick by the San Francisco Giants in 2016, has had a choppy professional career with the Giants, Tampa Bay Rays and Yankees. With a career minor league walk rate of nearly 15%, Krook was converted into a reliever while in Triple-A last season, and he dominated out of the bullpen.
In 34 innings, the 6-foot-4 southpaw allowed just 10 hits and five earned runs — for a 1.32 ERA — with a whopping 55 strikeouts. But his command struggles continued, issuing 26 free passes.
He made his MLB debut with the Yankees last year but struggled in four outings, surrendering eight hits, walking six and allowing 11 runs.
To add room for Kroof on the 40-man roster, the Orioles designated utilityman Diego Castillo for assignment. The club claimed Castillo, who has now been DFA’d by five different organizations this offseason, on Saturday after designating infielder Livan Soto for assignment. Soto was claimed Sunday by the Los Angeles Angels.
Krook could compete for a bullpen spot, although he’s jumping into a group with several more experienced candidates, including Mike Baumann, Jacob Webb, Keegan Akin, Tucker Davidson and Bryan Baker. Unlike Baumann, Webb and a few other bullpen arms, Kroof isn’t out of his minor league options. He has two options remaining, potentially providing the organization a left-handed reliever to shuttle from Triple-A Norfolk and Baltimore this season.