Albert Suárez knew what he signed up for all along.

The Orioles have designated Suárez for assignment three times since non-tendering him in November and reaching agreement a month later on a minor league contract.

They put him on the 40-man roster on April 1 while placing Zach Eflin on the 15-day injured list. He was a DFA victim on April 16 when closer Ryan Helsley returned from the family medical emergency list. Suárez elected free agency but signed a new minor league contract.

He returned to the majors on May 1, a busy day that also saw the Orioles recall Cade Povich, option Cameron Foster and Jose Espada, and put Helsley on the 15-day injured list.

Another DFA hit Suárez the following day and he was outrighted to Triple-A. The Orioles selected his contract again last Tuesday and designated him after his four scoreless innings Sunday in Game 2 of a doubleheader against the Tigers.

Left-hander Grant Wolfram was reinstated from the IL and used as the 27th man, and the Orioles preferred to keep him in the bullpen rather than option him. Suárez was the obvious choice to go, since it’s happened multiple times and he wouldn’t be available for a while after his lengthy appearance.

Suárez allowed six earned runs in 19 2/3 innings for a 2.75 ERA. He earned a three-inning save in his first appearance and was credited with the win in his third. He was charged with four unearned runs and two hits in four innings on April 25 against the Red Sox.

In Suárez’s last four appearances, with a few interruptions, he allowed two earned runs over 12 2/3 innings.

“He’s been outstanding,” said manager Craig Albernaz. “Whenever we call on him, he always seems like he eats up four to five innings on like 50 pitches. He throws strikes. He competes. He has no barrel fear. He doesn’t care if he gets hit or not, and he keeps on attacking. That’s something I love about him, always did, going back to our roots in Tampa Bay, but Suárez is an extremely valuable piece to what we do.”

Just in spurts, and after packing and unpacking his bags.

“He’s been tremendous,” reliever Yennier Cano said via interpreter Brandon Quinones. “Every time he’s up here he gives three, four quality innings. He goes out there and does his job every single time.

“Unfortunately, that’s the business of baseball, right? Where he’s the one that keeps being sent out. So I really do hope that some team gives him an opportunity to stay up and pitch. He’s a great teammate, a great guy to be around, and obviously a great pitcher, as well. So I really want to see him stick somewhere, and hopefully he gets that opportunity.”

“It definitely helps the bullpen save arms, but you know, just off the field, he’s just an amazing person,” said Rico Garcia. “It sucks that he has to kind of have that role, I guess you could say. But him being able to do that shows a lot of character about himself and just how he goes about the day and how he handles business. So just having him on the team is one of those things that you’re grateful for. But at the same time, he’s just an awesome person to be around.”

*Gunnar Henderson surpassed 1,000 total bases in his 547th career game with the Orioles after collecting three hits on Friday.

Henderson reached the milestone in the third-fewest games in club history. Machado needed 519 and Cal Ripken Jr. 529.

Eddie Murray got to 1,000 in 549 games and Trey Mancini in 552.

Henderson, Machado, Ripken, Murray and Boog Powell did it before turning 25 years old.

*Some Rays leftovers, since they’re in town:

Tampa Bay had gone 27 straight games without back-to-back losses, the fifth-longest streak in franchise history, until Colton Cowser’s walk-off homer in the 13th inning.

The Rays’ streak of nine consecutive series-opening wins came to an end, and they suffered their fourth walk-off defeat of the season, including their second in as many days.

They committed four errors for the first time since July 20, 2021 against the Orioles.

*The name suggested a relationship, but you can never be sure until going directly to the source.

The Orioles claimed outfielder Michael Siani on waivers from the Dodgers last week, optioned him to Norfolk and put him on the taxi squad yesterday with Coby Mayo unavailable due to lower-back tightness.

Mike Siani was an NFL receiver for nine seasons with the Raiders, who selected him in the first round out of Villanova, and the Colts. Siani played for the 1976 Super Bowl champion team in Oakland, though overshadowed by Hall of Famers Cliff Branch and Fred Biletnikoff.

The Colts acquired Siani and a third-round draft pick after the 1977 season for tight end Raymond Chester and a second-rounder. Siani played three seasons in Baltimore and retired.

Michael explained yesterday that Mike is a distant relative living in California. He’s pretty sure that the former receiver is one of his grandfather’s cousins.

They actually met for the first time a few months ago in Las Vegas.

*Shane Baz is on the mound for the Orioles tonight, and the Rays are starting Griffin Jax.

The names suggest that they could comprise the fewest letters for two starters in a game, but you can never be sure until going directly to STATS.

The six letters tie the record for fewest in a major league game since 1901, also known as the “modern era.” It’s happened 30 times, most recently on Sept. 17. 2024 with the Yankees’ Luis Gil and the Mariners’ Bryan Woo.

Woo also was paired with the Giants’ Robbie Ray on Aug. 25, 2024, and Gil was paired with the Brewers’ Colin Rea on April 26, 2024.

The Orioles aren’t involved in any of the 30. However, Baz and Ray started on Sept. 20, 2021 for the Rays and Blue Jays, respectively.

Cliff Lee and Dillon Gee were paired in four games, with the added bonus that they rhymed.

Former Oriole Jimmy Key opposed Charlie Lea twice with the Blue Jays in 1988.

It all began with the Dodgers’ Preacher Roe and the Reds’ Howie Fox in four games from 1949-51.

The more you know …