Orioles call up trade acquisition reliever Cam Sanders to fill out bullpen

Jacob Calvin Meyer, The Baltimore Sun on Jul 17, 2026

Published in Baseball

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HOUSTON — The Orioles began the work week by trading for Cam Sanders. They ended it by adding him to their major league roster.

The Orioles on Friday afternoon recalled Sanders, a hard-throwing right-handed reliever, from Triple-A Norfolk to fill out their bullpen ahead of the club’s series against the Astros to begin the second half of the season. The bullpen spot was open after the Orioles optioned left-hander Nick Raquet to Norfolk on Monday.

Baltimore acquired Sanders, 29, on Monday in a cash trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, two days after the Buccos designated him for assignment. Sanders posted a career 8.44 ERA in 16 relief innings for the Pirates over the past two seasons.

Like many relievers on the DFA train, Sanders’ stuff is intriguing. His fastball and sinker average 96 mph, while his slider has the potential to be an elite pitch, garnering a whiff on 42.9% of swings in the major leagues this season.

But also like many relievers on the DFA train, Sanders struggles with his command. In 9 1/3 innings this season, Sanders has walked 10 batters — a major reason he’s allowed nine runs. The San Diego native has elite swing-and-miss metrics, with rates of getting chases out of the zone, whiffs and strikeouts at elite levels. But his 20.8% walk rate ranks among the worst in MLB.

Sanders has fared much better against Triple-A hitters this season. For Indianapolis, the Pirates’ affiliate, he recorded a 2.96 ERA with a stunning 41.1% strikeout rate, though he also walked 17 in 24 1/3 innings.

Sanders joins a bullpen that is battered after losing closer Ryan Helsley (right elbow inflammation) and left-hander Keegan Akin (Tommy John elbow surgery) in recent weeks. If the Orioles put themselves in a position to be buyers at the trade deadline, adding relievers will likely be a major way the president of baseball operations does that.

The reliever isn’t the only addition from Norfolk this week. The Orioles also recalled corner infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand, among the top power hitters in the minor leagues this season, to replace the injured Blaze Alexander.

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