After walking five batters, allowing six runs and retiring just one batter on Thursday night, the Orioles optioned right-hander Dean Kremer to Triple-A Norfolk for the third time this season.
Kremer’s place on the roster will be taken by left-hander Alexander Wells, the Australian native, who gets his first call to the big leagues.
Kremer, who is 0-7 with a 7.25 ERA in 12 starts, must stay in the minors for 10 days unless he replaces a player placed on the injured list.
Wells, who was added to the 40-man roster in November. He’s 4-3 with a 5.67 ERA in eight games with Norfolk, six of them starts.
The 24-year-old wasn’t able to be at summer camp in 2020 because he was unable to travel back to the States.
In 2017, Wells was named as the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year when he went 11-5 with a 2.38 ERA in 25 starts for Low-A Delmarva. Wells walked just 10 batters in 140 innings in 2017. This season, he’s walked four in 32 innings for the Tides.
To add a fresh arm to the bullpen, the Orioles purchased the contract of right-hander Konner Wade from Triple-A Norfolk and designated knuckleballer Mickey Jannis for assignment.
Wade, a 29-year-old right-hander, was acquired in November 2017 from the Colorado Rockies for $500,000 in international signing bonus slot money but was released at the end of minor league spring training in 2018.
Wade, who re-signed with the Orioles in February, is 1-1 with a 3.48 ERA in eight games, seven starts for Norfolk.
The 33-year-old Jannis got three days in the major leagues after signing his first professional contract with Tampa Bay in 2010. He allowed seven runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings against Houston on Wednesday night.
The Orioles have seven days to trade, waive or release Jannis.
Chance Sisco, who was designated for assignment a week ago, was claimed on waivers by the New York Mets.
In parts of five seasons with the Orioles, Sisco batted .199 in 191 games.
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