Nick Maton Selected by Orioles

The Orioles have added infielder/outfielder Nick Maton to their roster, with right-hander Tyler Wells being moved to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster. Outfielder Kyle Stowers was sent to Triple-A Norfolk to accommodate Maton’s addition to the active roster.

This move appears to be in response to Jordan Westburg’s injury. Westburg suffered a left hip contusion after colliding with Yankees’ Juan Soto while fielding a grounder. Manager Brandon Hyde noted that Westburg is day-to-day, as reported by MLB.com.

With Westburg potentially sidelined for a few days, the Orioles needed to ensure they had sufficient infield coverage. Currently, the playing time at second and third base is being shared between Westburg, Jorge Mateo, and Ramón Urías. Without Westburg, Mateo and Urías would need to start, leaving the team without a backup infielder, prompting Maton’s call-up.

Maton, 27, was acquired from the Tigers in an offseason cash deal but didn’t make the Orioles’ roster after Spring Training. As he was out of options, the Orioles placed him on waivers and he cleared, allowing them to outright him to Norfolk. In 41 games for the Tides, Maton has performed well, hitting .294/.387/.483 with seven home runs and a 12.5% walk rate in 168 plate appearances, resulting in a 126 wRC+. He has played all four infield positions and had a brief stint in right field.

Maton’s current call-up to the majors could be temporary, depending on Westburg’s recovery. Since Westburg hasn’t been placed on the injured list and prospects like Connor Norby or Coby Mayo haven’t been called up, the Orioles might only need Maton for a few days. If Westburg returns soon, Maton, who is out of options, may need to be designated for assignment again. However, if Maton manages to secure his spot, he has less than two years of service time, making him an affordable option for future seasons.

Regarding Tyler Wells, it was announced three weeks ago that he would need season-ending surgery on his throwing elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament. The Orioles confirmed that the surgery, described as “right elbow revision ulnar collateral ligament surgery with UCL repair and internal brace augmentation,” was completed two days ago. Wells will be out for the rest of this season and likely part of the 2025 season as well.