Getty Thyago Vieira during a May 9 game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Another day, another Baltimore Orioles prospect preparing to make their MLB debut. Connor Norby is the latest making his way to the majors, to fill in for an injured Jorge Mateo.
His call-up comes amid a flurry of moves, including the designation of reliever Thyago Vieira, who Baltimore traded for on May 25.
The team announced all the June 3 transactions on X, formerly known as Twitter.
We have made the following roster moves:
Vieira’s time with the Orioles lasted just one game, and more specifically, not even a full inning.
In his lone appearance with the team on May 27, the veteran reliever walked four batters and allowed a fifth batter a 3-run triple.
Vieira allowed all 3 runs the Boston Red Sox scored that game. He was replaced by Cionel Perez with runners on the corners and no outs.
And whether cemented in that moment or not, that was and is the end of his tenure in Baltimore. For now.
But his departure opens the door on an MLB career fans have been waiting to see takeoff.
Norby Reacts to MLB Call-Up
After 198 appearances with the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate, Norfolk Tides, Norby is in the majors.
Ranked a top-10 second base prospect in all of MLB, the 23-year-old is slashing .286/.374/.510 with 9 home runs and 36 RBIs in 2024.
Norby talked with reporters during batting practice on June 3 about getting the call up.
“I mean, it’s what you dream of from the first time you pick up a baseball,” Norby told MASN Sports. “There aren’t enough words, I don’t think, to put this into any words. It’s just really special, and I will try to enjoy it as best I can but also get ready and try to play my game tonight.”
He’s trusting that all his patience in Triple-A is paying off, and that this is the moment he was meant to debut.
“I have felt prepared for a while, but it’s not necessarily my timing, it’s God’s timing,” Norby continued. “It’s what this team needs and when it needs it. There is a spot open right now in a way and I am just hoping to fill that void and help us win some games. That is the biggest thing.”
Norby will start at second base against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 3, and bat ninth in the order for the Orioles.
Brandon Hyde Gives Mateo Update
At the same June 3 batting practice, team skipper Brandon Hyde gave an update on Mateo, who went on the 7-Day Concussion List.
A timeline is still unknown.
“It’s a concussion and we are hoping it’s not going to be too long,” Hyde told MASN. “You never know with these type of things. He is on the 7-day list and hopefully it’s not too much longer after that.”
He suffered the injury in a June 2 game when teammate Cedric Mullins‘ bat made contact with his head in the dugout.
“I was getting loose,” Mullins told reporters postgame about the incident. “Looking at the pitcher and I did kind of like a circle stretch, pretty normal stuff,” Mullins said. “He was right behind me. Didn’t even see him.”
Mateo, in his first full season at second base with Baltimore, has played a big role in the defensive effort.
And surprisingly, he’s matching it with his at-bats, slashing .246/.294/.447 with 3 home runs and 13 RBIs.
Norby will be tasked with filling the Mateo-sized hole in the infield and at the plate in his MLB debut, and at least a few games after.
The 24-year-old’s first shot in the majors comes with strings attached. Norby’s welcome to MLB features a full-time starting role, even if only temporarily.
That means management will be keeping a close eye on him. And the fans, even closer.
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Orioles Designate May Trade Acquisition Amid Connor Norby Call-Up