Eric

Orze

Orze is demoted to make room for Bryan Baker after the Rays acquired Baker in a trade for the 37th pick. Orze will likely be back at some point this season with Tampa Bay as a middle-inning option. Orze has a 2.72 ERA in 39 1/3 innings this year, but over his last eight appearances had allowed eight earned runs and four homers.

The Rays’ top four relievers all pitched Wednesday and Thursday, so it was Cole Sulser in the eighth and Orze in the ninth tonight. Sulser blew a one-run lead in his frame, but he got the win after the Rays went back ahead. Orze has allowed just one earned run in 13 1/3 innings since the Rays called him up Apr. 14. His 8/6 K/BB is less impressive.

Orze’s run was the ‘zombie’ runner that started on second base to begin the bottom of the 11th. That’s not to say the 27-year-old looked great, as he walked two and gave up a hit, but he was handed a two-run lead and did just enough to get the save. It’s hard to imagine Orze will get more save chances going forward.

Orze is up to work in relief after allowing just one run and posting a 9/0 K/BB in six innings for Durham. The 27-year-old was acquired from the Mets for Jose Siri in November. His only two major league appearances came last year and produced a 21.60 ERA.

Bigge and Orze were shuttled out of Rays camp on Friday in the club’s latest cutdown. The pair of middle relievers boast big-time stuff, but there isn’t room for them in Tampa Bay’s season-opening bullpen. They figure to get chances early in the year, when injuries eventually take a bit out of the club’s considerable relief depth.

Orze will bolster Tampa Bay’s organizational relief depth heading into next season after making a pair of relief appearances last year for the Mets. The 27-year-old righty feels like a classic Rays move as he’s compiled astronomical strikeout totals in the upper minors and appears ready to contribute right away in a middle relief role.

It’s not exactly a blockbuster — and he certainly won’t be confused with Juan Soto — but Siri provides New York with a capable defensive centerfielder and some viable outfield depth heading into the offseason. He’s a logical replacement for free agent Harrison Bader and has contributed 43 homers and 26 steals over the last two seasons combined with the Rays. It’s highly unlikely he’ll correct the contact issues that have dragged down his batting average during that span, but he’s likely to remain a cheap power/speed combo source for fantasy managers.

Orze heads back to the minors to open up a spot on New York’s active roster for newly-acquired reliever Ryne Stanek. The 26-year-old rookie right-hander has made a pair of relief appearances for the Mets since being called up earlier this month.

The Mets needed another bullpen arm with Dedniel Nunez going on the injured list. Orze has only made one appearance for the Mets this year and he allowed three runs without recording an out. At Triple-A, he had a 3.40 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings.

The 26-year-old right-hander was up for the final weekend before the All-Star break while David Peterson was away on paternity leave, but he’ll head back to Triple-A with Peterson rejoining the club on Friday. Orze did not appear in a game over the weekend while he was with the big-league club.