Orioles designate Bud Norris for assignment (trade official)

Orioles designate Bud Norris for assignment (trade official)

The Orioles have designated pitcher Bud Norris for assignment to create room for outfielder Gerardo Parra on the 25-man roster.

The trade is official. Parra comes to Baltimore for Triple-A pitcher Zach Davies. The medicals checked out.

norris-hands-on-head-gray-sidebar.jpgNorris allowed four runs and six hits in 2 2/3 innings last night to conclude a brutal 2015 season with the Orioles. He lost his spot in the rotation and didn't get on track as a reliever, finishing with a 2-9 record, 7.06 ERA and 1.643 WHIP in 18 games, including 11 starts.

The Orioles have been trying to trade Norris, a pending free agent, but interest has been sparse. He's making $8.8 million this season.

Removing Norris will allow the Orioles to bring up an optional reliever from the minors, the candidates including Norfolk's T.J. McFarland and Double-A Bowie's Mychal Givens.

Norris won a career-high 15 games last season and posted a career-low 3.65 ERA over 28 starts. He also won Game 3 of the American League Division Series to send the Orioles to the ALCS.

The Orioles will continue their attempts to find a trade partner for Norris. Meanwhile, they remain in talks with the Cubs regarding reliever Tommy Hunter.

Norris just tweeted the following:

Dear #Birdland, I'm sorry it got to this. 2014 was magical. I got sick and haven't been right since. Wish my teammates nothing but the best.




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