The Orioles announced today that they have signed infielder Terrin Vavra to a minor league contract. Vavra, who was designated for assignment by the Mariners last week and subsequently became a free agent, will not be eligible for postseason play with the Orioles since he joined the team after September 1.
Vavra, 27, was a third-round draft pick by the Rockies in 2018 and was traded to the Orioles at the 2020 deadline as part of the deal that sent Mychal Givens to Colorado. He made his major league debut in 2022 and had a solid performance over 40 games with the Orioles, hitting .258/.340/.337 while playing both second base and the outfield. At the start of the 2023 season, he was with the Orioles but struggled with a .245/.315/.245 line in 56 at-bats before being placed on the injured list with a shoulder strain.
The shoulder strain was later diagnosed as a torn labrum, requiring surgery in September of the previous year. Vavra returned to play in May, putting up a respectable .243/.350/.368 in 44 games at the Triple-A level with the Norfolk affiliate. However, he did not make it back to the major league roster and was designated for assignment in August without appearing in a big league game this season. After being claimed off waivers by the Mariners, Vavra played only three games with their Triple-A team in Tacoma before being designated for assignment again to accommodate infielder Luis Urias’s return to the 40-man roster.
Vavra then chose to become a free agent, leading him back to the Orioles. Although he won’t be available for the postseason, he provides the team with a familiar depth option for the rest of the regular season. With the Orioles in a tight race for the AL East title against the Yankees, Vavra offers a potential backup if additional infielders join Jordan Westburg, Ramon Urias, and Jorge Mateo on the injured list. Currently, Nick Maton and Livan Soto are backing up the middle infield positions, while Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday hold down the middle infield, and Coby Mayo and Emmanuel Rivera share duties at third base.
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