Orioles designate Craig Kimbrel for assignment during brutal second half as Baltimore fights for playoff berth

Kimbrel gave up six runs on just two outs against the Giants Tuesday night

The Baltimore Orioles designated veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel for assignment on Wednesday afternoon. In a corresponding move,  fellow righty Bryan Baker was promoted from Triple-A Norfolk.

Kimbrel, 36, had been mired in a recent slump that culminated in a meltdown performance on Tuesday night against the San Francisco Giants. He recorded just two outs while surrendering six runs on three hits and two walks. It was his first appearance in a week's time. Kimbrel's woes encapsulated his second half: whereas he entered the All-Star Game festivities with a 2.80 ERA on the season, he's since seen that figure balloon to 5.33 over the course of his most recent 18 appearances.

For posterity's sake, Kimbrel's marks over that span included 22 runs (20 earned) on 22 hits and 15 walks. He struck out 20 batters across those 17 innings, but also compiled a 10.59 ERA and a .978 OPS against.

The Orioles, 26-29 in the second half, had removed Kimbrel from the closer's gig. Midseason addition Seranthony Domínguez, acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies, has received the ninth-inning opportunities for the better part of a month. 

"The mojo that we've had has just drifted away from us the last few months," Orioles general manager Mike Elias told reporters on Tuesday. "There are reasons for it that are obvious, but a lot of it is we've got people here that are experiencing a downturn -- whether it's themselves or the team."

It's fair to wonder if this is the end of the road for Kimbrel, who ranks fifth all-time in saves and is second among active pitchers. For as dominant as he can be when he's right, he's equally prone to pyrotechnics. Indeed, this season represents his third since 2019 that he'll finish a campaign with an ERA+ below 90.

Baker, 29, has made 17 appearances at the big-league level this season and 130 for his career. He's amassed a 108 ERA+ and a 2.61 strikeout-to-walk ratio overall.

The Orioles enter Wednesday four games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East and four games up for first place in the AL wild-card race.