Orioles Designate Lefty Reliever For Assignment in Surprise Move

The Baltimore Orioles made an interesting move on Tuesday.

The team has called up left-hander Nick Raquet from Triple-A Norfolk and surprisingly designated lefty reliever Dietrich Enns for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

Enns had been one of the Orioles' more reliable relief pitchers this season, posting a 3.94 ERA across 16 innings. Baltimore has essentially weakened their already struggling bullpen (4.64 ERA, 23rd in MLB) by ousting the southpaw from their roster.

Enns, 35, missed close to a month of action on the injured list this year due to a left foot infection. He returned from the IL on May 2.

The Orioles acquired Enns from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for cash last July. Baltimore will be hoping that he clears waivers, but that is highly unlikely given his ability.

Enns could help out a number of major league bullpens around the game. Time will tell on who picks him up, but now he is vulnerable to waiver claim.

As for Raquet, the lefty has a 3.24 ERA in 16.2 minor league innings this season. The 30-year-old has made three appearances for the Orioles in 2026, posting a 10.13 ERA across 2.2 innings.

As previously mentioned, it's a bit of a head scratching move that the Orioles would call-up Raquet and designated Enns for assignment as the corresponding decision.

The Orioles have not gotten off to a good start in 2026. Baltimore holds a 24-30 record and currently sits in fourth place in the American League East division. A Wild Card spot is still within reach given how weak the AL is this year, but the Orioles will first need to worry about getting back to .500 and playing better away from Camden Yards (9-17 road record). Baltimore has a much better home record at 15-13.

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 12:16 PM.