Orioles add infielder Araúz, recall Watkins to start against White Sox; Diplán, Bannon optioned

CHICAGO—The Orioles recalled right-hander Spenser Watkins to start Saturday’s game against the White Sox. They also recalled infielder Jonathan Araúz from Triple-A Norfolk.

Araúz was claimed on waivers from Boston on June 15^th and optioned to Norfolk where he was 5-for-11 (.455) with four RBIs in three games.

“It’s a guy that can play multiple positions,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’re a little banged up.”

Araúz, who is the first native of Panama to play for the Orioles since Ruben Tejada in 2017, batted .204 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in parts of the 2020-2022 seasons with Boston.

“Get on base, play good defense, improve my hitting so that I can help the team on the offensive side,” Araúz said through a translator.

Because Araúz was optioned when he was acquired, he had to stay in the minor leagues for 10 days.

“I always had the expectation of it. I was hoping when they claimed me they’d call me up at some point,” Araúz said. “Sometimes I was a little bit hesitant like [when the count was] 3-2, I didn’t know what was going to happen. But I’m glad that it happened.”

Rougned Odor is not in the starting lineup for the fourth straight game because of a back injury, and Ramón Urias remains on the 10-day injured list because a strained left oblique muscle.

“A guy that can play three spots in the infield, another left-handed bat, which we don’t have many of,” Hyde said. “It’s a versatile guy that we want to take a look at.”

After Friday night’s game, the Orioles optioned right-hander Marcos Diplán and infielder Rylan Bannon to Triple-A Norfolk.

Neither Diplán, who was recalled before Friday’s game, nor Bannon, who was added before Tuesday’s, appeared in a game in this stint with the Orioles. Bannon, Diplán and catcher Cody Roberts are with the team as its taxi squad for the remainder of the road trip. The Orioles play three games in Seattle and three in Minnesota.

Urías is on the road trip, and Hyde thinks he could return to the active roster when the team returns home on July 4^th.

“I’m hoping. I don’t know that for sure,” Hyde said. “He’s going to continue to take ground balls. The hitting progression is going fairly well. Obliques are so tricky. You just never know if there’s going to be a setback or not, if it’s going to be sore the next day. I’m hoping homestandish, but I’m not sure.”