It’s an exciting time of year for the marquee free agents, but for many role players, the Major League Baseball offseason is a lot less glamorous.
Those on the fringes of the 40-man roster often spend this time of year hoping their names aren’t called, because if they are, it’s usually to be designated for assignment or traded for pennies on the dollar. And this offseason, one left-handed pitcher has had it worse than just about anyone.
Josh Walker, a three-year major league veteran with the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays, found himself on the Baltimore Orioles’ roster to end the season. Walker may well have been hoping to remain with the Orioles until spring training, but he had another thing coming.
On Nov. 6, Walker was designated for assignment for the first time. The Atlanta Braves claimed him, only to DFA him on Dec. 5. The Orioles claimed him off waivers right back, but then on Friday, Walker was DFA’d for a remarkable third time in the span of just six weeks.
As of Monday afternoon, Walker remained unclaimed on waivers, according to the official transactions log on his roster page. If he clears waivers, he could elect free agency or accept an outright assignment to return to the Orioles, assuming they don’t release him altogether (which would seem odd, after they liked him enough to claim him twice).
In 27 major league appearances, Walker has posted a rough 6.59 ERA and 1.72 WHIP. He’s a 6-foot-6 lefty with a 43.5% whiff rate on his curveball, though, so it’s easy to see why teams continue picking him up in hopes of unlocking something.
If there’s one plus in this situation, Walker is used to chaos. He was DFA’d five times in total this season, as the Blue Jays cut him loose in May and the Philadelphia Phillies did so in October. The Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates did it to him last season, so he’s now up to seven in his brief career since debuting in the majors in 2023.
At this point, Walker can’t be surprised by anything that happens. He’ll likely report somewhere to spring training, but for now, where he winds up is out of his control.
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