The Orioles wasted no time in altering their first 25-man roster of the 2015 season by designating right-handed pitcher Ryan Webb for assignment and promoting catcher Ryan Lavarnway hours before their season opener on Monday.
It was clear the Orioles would need to make a change after initially keeping 14 pitchers on their roster Sunday, but they have been unable to find a trade partner for Webb, who is guaranteed a $2.75 million and has already refused an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk as a player with more than five years of major league service time. The 29-year-old cleared waivers last week, making it all but guaranteed that the Orioles will now need to eat his salary.
Baltimore selected Lavarnway’s contract after initially reassigning him to minor-league camp on Sunday. The move signals that manager Buck Showalter likely envisions the former Boston Red Sox product as the club’s backup behind Caleb Joseph while three-time All-Star selection Matt Wieters continues to rehab his surgically-repaired elbow.
Needing to activate first baseman Chris Davis from the suspended list on Tuesday, the Orioles appear likely to send catcher Steve Clevenger to Triple-A Norfolk since he has a remaining minor-league option if Showalter wants to keep 13 pitchers for the time being.
