TORONTO (AP) The Baltimore Orioles have designated former All-Star Chris Tillman for assignment, offering the veteran right-hander a chance to remain in the organization and pitch at Triple-A.
Tillman, who started the 2016 AL Wild Card game for Baltimore, is 1-5 with a 10.46 ERA in seven starts and hasn’t pitched since May 10 because of a back injury. He has not indicated whether he will accept Baltimore’s offer or choose free agency.
The Orioles cut Tillman at the conclusion of his 30-day minor league rehab assignment, opening a 40-man roster spot that allowed Baltimore to select infielder Renato Nunez from Triple-A. Nunez was in the lineup at third base for Friday’s game at Toronto, Baltimore’s first since trading Manny Machado to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Tillman was an All-Star in 2013 and started on opening day for Baltimore the next three seasons. Over that four-year span, he was 56-30 with a 3.91 ERA in 128 starts. Tillman began 2017 on the disabled list because of a shoulder injury and struggled in his return, going 1-7 with a 7.84 ERA in 24 games (19 starts). He signed a one-year contract to return to the Orioles in February, and ended an 11-month drought between wins by pitching seven shutout innings against Detroit on April 27. He didn’t make it past the second inning in his next two starts.
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