Rich Dubroff

Hunter Harvey’s Oriole career is over after being claimed by Giants; Severino, Ellis become free agents

In a surprising move, the San Francisco Giants claimed Hunter Harvey on waivers. Harvey, the Orioles’ top draft pick in 2013,  was on the 60-day injured list, which sums up the promise that went unfulfilled with the Orioles because of injuries.

The 26-year-old right-hander’s injuries included Tommy John surgery and a broken leg. He finished his career in Baltimore with just 26 appearances, a 1-2 record and a 3.42 ERA.

Harvey missed time late in the 2014 season because of a flexor mass injury after he pitched 87 2/3 innings at Low-A Delmarva. That remains the most innings he has thrown in a season.

He had the Tommy John surgery in 2016 and finally made it to the majors in August 2019. Harvey was 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in seven appearances, giving the Orioles hope that he might become a key piece in their bullpen.

However, in 2020, Harvey suffered an elbow injury, delaying the start of a 60-game season. He pitched in 10 games, going 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA.

This past season, Harvey had an oblique injury during spring training. After he pitched in nine games with a 4.15 ERA, he hurt himself warming up in the bullpen before entering a game in Houston on June 30th. He was diagnosed with a lat injury, and he didn’t pitch again for the Orioles.

Harvey was placed on the 60-day injured list and reinjured himself in a rehab stint at Triple-A Norfolk.

Severino, Ellis become free agents: Right-handed pitcher Chris Ellis, who had a 2.49 ERA in six starts after he was acquired on waivers from Tampa Bay, was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk and chose free agency. He joins catcher Pedro Severin0 and right-handers Marcos Diplán and Conner Greene, who elected free agency after being placed on outright waivers.

Catcher Nick Ciuffo and right-hander Spenser Watkins have been assigned to Norfolk. Ciuffo hit .200 (1-for-5) in two late-season games. Watkins was 2-7 with an 8.07 ERA in 16 games, 10 starts.

The moves leave the Orioles with 27 players on their 40-man roster.

Infielder Jorge Mateo, left-hander Keegan Akin, right-hander Jorge López and outfielder DJ Stewart remain on the 60-day injured list and must be transferred to the 40-man roster by Sunday.

Rich Dubroff

Rich Dubroff grew up in Brooklyn as a fan of New York teams, but after he moved to Baltimore, quickly adopted the Orioles and Colts. After nearly two decades as a freelancer assisting on Orioles coverage for several outlets, principally The Capital in Annapolis and The Carroll County Times, Dubroff began covering the team fulltime in 2011. He spent five years at Comcast SportsNet’s website and for the last two seasons, wrote for PressBoxonline.com, Dubroff lives in Baltimore with his wife of more than 30 years, Susan.

View Comments

  • Hunter seemed like a nice kid, and I wish him the very best. Honestly, I’m not sad to see him go. With Chris Davis also gone, via retirement, this removes two of the most boring, redundant storylines of the past four seasons. “What to do about Davis and Harvey’s latest setback, rehab assignment”, so relieved not to have to read about those anymore.

  • Rich, does Harvey have to go on the Giants 40 man roster? I suppose it is a good sign that there are other O's in the system that need to be protected.

  • Needless to say, his troubles will be cured w/ a competent pitching coach and trainer, and he'll break out, finally, having left the incompetence of this franshise. All but impossible not to be cynical with this burning heap which they loosely call a major league team

  • Go to the Giants, Gausman/Yastrzemski part 2, not sad to see him go & he’s not on an AL team…go O’s…

  • Wish we could have given him another year. Hate to see a top draft pick be claimed after 7 years in the O’s system. I hope this doesn’t come back to haunt us like Josh Hader, Yan, etc.

  • I, like many O’s fans, have griped incessantly about Hunter Harvey’s oft injured O’s record of work. Glass arm, trust fund kid, bench warmer, get a haircut, whatever. Blah blah blah.
    All that being said, I wish him well, and will be watching him closely.
    I will be specifically watching to see if he excels wherever he lands. I just can’t get Jake Arietta et al out of my mind. Just can’t help it.
    Why do other pitchers seem to find success after their departure from Bawlamer?

  • Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo……….

    He should’ve had one more year. How and why was he exposed on waivers?

  • This is frustrating as a fan. Big time arm, big time mullet, top draft pick. Waiting for years. Yes, he was hurt a lot. So?? This is a bad disappointing move.

  • So the worst pitching staff in baseball’s trash is a 107 win team’s treasure?

    I’ll trust SF’s judgment on this one.

  • I’m a little surprised about Ellis as he did well during his short stint. Not sad to see Harvey go. Like others on this site I wish him well but will honestly be surprised if he suddenly becomes indestructible and is able to remain healthy. It’s a good move by Giants if he does pan out tho.

      • Exactly. All teams lose players that perform well for other teams. So we move on to players that will at least be available to play. Continue the rebuild with one more crappy year, then be ready to start to be competitive in 2023 and on.

  • On one hand, I wish Hunter the best and that he will be able to have a successful baseball career. But if that happens, it will be another knock against the Orioles ability to develop a pitcher.

  • Impressions;

    - low risk pick-up for the Giants. Hope it works out for their sake. Always like it when the Giants can stay ahead of and beat the Dodgers..

    - this a very clear indicator that the sea-change in this system is beginning to emerge.

    - Harvey is not one of Elias's players, as such he was dispensable

    - Elias has stones...I like the boldness he showed here. He had to have seen enough of all of Harvey's false starts and underachievement and said: hit the road pal. I will always believe that Harvey has some "issues" that make him a less-than-ideal complete player. I do wish him well on his path and do hope that he has a productive and fulfilled life. Really.

    - Some of us have lost our favorite whipping boy on this team...

    - Yusniel Diaz should take note here---he's next on the list of prospects that are hardcore no-shows....

    That's right---I said it!

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