Orioles sign former SF Giants second-round pick to minor-league deal

The Baltimore Orioles signed former SF Giants and St. Louis Cardinals left-handed pitcher Andrew Suárez to a minor-league contract.

The Baltimore Orioles have signed former SF Giants second-round pick Andrew Suárez to a minor league deal. Now 31, the left-handed pitcher spent several years in the Giants' organization, even ascending to the major league level in 2018. However, unable to solidify a permanent role on the team's pitching staff over the next couple of seasons, he opted to head to Asia before returning to MLB in 2023 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

SF Giants LHP Andrew Suárez pitches against the Dodgers. (2018) / Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

After inking a minor-league deal with the Cardinals last offseason, Suárez was effective in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League at Triple-A. With the Cardinals big-league pitching staff struggling, they opted to call on the veteran lefty to see if he could help right the ship. He appeared in 13 games with the Cards, pitching a total of 27.2 innings with a 7.16 ERA, allowing 33 hits, 15 walks, and striking out 17. Needless to say, it was a rough stint.

Suárez first reached the majors as a 25-year-old with the Giants, going 7-13 in 29 starts, with a 4.49 ERA. While his walk rate was excellent (2.5 BB/9), he didn't strike out a lot of hitters, whiffing just 130 in 160.1 innings. He also gave up 23 home runs.

Suárez made just two starts the following season with the Giants, both in May, where he gave up 12 runs in ten innings, along with three home runs and seven walks. He pitched only 22.2 more innings in 19 appearances out of the big-league bullpen, where he was a little more effective, with a 4.37 ERA. After spending all but six games at the alternate site in 2020, he opted to pursue an international opportunity.

Suárez had a successful 2021 in the Korean Baseball Organization with the LG Twins, after the Giants sold his rights to the team, going 10-2 with a 2.18 ERA in the KBO, striking out more than a batter per inning and giving up only four home runs all season. After the solid season, he jumped to the Nippon Baseball League, playing for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in 2022. 

There he spent the bulk of the season in the minors and struggled through six appearances (6.23 ERA) with the Swallows big-league affiliate. Still, when he hit free agency, the Cardinals were interested and signed Suárez to a minor league deal in 2023.

The Baltimore Orioles, who continue to make off-season moves, including a blockbuster trade for ace Corbin Burnes, have seen something in Andrew Suárez they're interested in exploring, at least at the minor league level. He will likely spend some time at big-league spring training before starting the season at Triple-A.