masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe Orioles have traded reliever Ryan Webb and Triple-A Norfolk catcher Brian Ward to the Dodgers and released catcher J.P. Arencibia, according to multiple sources.
No word yet on which players the Dodgers are sending to the Orioles.
The Orioles designated Webb for assignment on Monday to make room for catcher Ryan Lavarnway on the 25-man roster. He’s owed $2.75 million this season.
Webb went 3-3 with a 3.83 ERA in 51 appearances last season after signing a two-year deal with the Orioles on…

The Orioles have traded reliever Ryan Webb and Triple-A Norfolk catcher Brian Ward to the Dodgers and released catcher J.P. Arencibia, according to multiple sources.

No word yet on which players the Dodgers are sending to the Orioles.

The Orioles designated Webb for assignment on Monday to make room for catcher Ryan Lavarnway on the 25-man roster. He’s owed $2.75 million this season.

Webb Throws White Sidebar.jpgWebb went 3-3 with a 3.83 ERA in 51 appearances last season after signing a two-year deal with the Orioles on Dec. 10, 2013. The Marlins had non-tendered him over the winter.

Webb also appeared in 11 games at Norfolk and posted a 4.76 ERA.

Ward is a career .237/.339/.318 hitter in six minor league seasons. He’s a defensive specialist who drew lots of praise from manager Buck Showalter in spring training.

Arencibia signed a minor league deal on Jan. 7 and was shut down in spring training with a strained right flexor mass. The injury flared up again while he was playing at Twin Lakes Park.

The Orioles had four catchers at Norfolk, including Steve Clevenger and Audry Perez, but the logjam has loosened.

Update: The Orioles are receiving right-hander Ben Rowen and catcher Chris O’Brien from the Dodgers, a source confirmed. The Dodgers are receiving Webb, Ward and the Orioles’ competitive balance pick, which is No. 74.

(And now the Orioles just announced the trade)

The Dodgers are absorbing the $2.75 million left on Webb’s contract.

Rowen appeared in eight games with the Rangers last season, posting a 4.15 ERA in 8 2/3 innings. He’s 21-5 with a 1.72 ERA in five minor league seasons in the Rangers system.

Rowen, 26, went 3-0 with a 3.45 ERA in 34 games with Triple-A Round Rock in 2014.

O’Brien, 25, batted .266/.341/.438 with seven home runs and a career-high 53 RBIs in his first full season at the Double-A level with Chattanooga in 2014. The son of 15-year major league veteran Charlie O’Brien, Chris has hit .251/.316/.403 with 23 home runs and 158 RBI, and has thrown out 107-of-356 would-be base stealers (30 percent) in 315 career minor league games.