Orioles activate reliever Andrew Kittredge from 15-day injured list

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Baltimore Orioles reliever Andrew Kittredge came off the 15-day injured list and made his season debut Wednesday.

Kittredge retired the side in order in the seventh inning of the Orioles' 8-4, 11-inning victory over the Milwaukee Brewers after getting activated earlier in the day. Kittredge had been dealing with debridement in his left knee.

The 35-year-old Kittredge signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Orioles after going 5-5 with a 2.80 ERA and one save in 74 relief appearances with the St. Louis Cardinals last season. But he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in March and hadn’t been able to pitch for the Orioles until Wednesday.

His inning of relief helped the Orioles snap an eight-game skid.

Kittredge is 23-12 with a 3.43 ERA and 16 saves in 256 appearances. He had pitched for Tampa Bay from 2017-23 before spending last season with St. Louis.

“Just a steady guy, a guy who’s been through a lot of big games, a lot of big innings, a lot of moments for a long time in the game on a lot of good teams,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said before Wednesday’s game. “When he was signed this offseason, it was a big signing for us.”

The Orioles made room for Kittredge by optioning right-handed pitcher Chayce McDermott to Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles had called McDermott up a day earlier to pitch in Tuesday’s game. He struck out two while allowing three runs, four hits, including two homers, and five walks over 4 2/3 innings in the Orioles’ 5-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

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