Orioles shuffle Triple-A Norfolk roster, add Yohel Pozo, DFA Johnathan Rodríguez

Baltimore’s shortage behind the plate pushed Yohel Pozo from the St. Louis Cardinals to Triple-A Norfolk, and it cost Johnathan Rodríguez his spot on the Orioles’ 40-man roster. With Adley Rutschman on the 10-day injured list with left wrist inflammation and Samuel Basallo later sidelined by right shoulder inflammation, Baltimore claimed Pozo off waivers, optioned him to Norfolk and made Rodríguez the roster casualty.

Rodríguez had already been recalled from Norfolk before the Orioles designated him for assignment, making him the clearest hinge point in the shuffle. The move opened a 40-man spot for Pozo, giving Baltimore a more immediate catcher option while preserving the club’s ability to keep moving arms and bats between Norfolk and Camden Yards as injuries thinned the major league catching group.

The decision also fit Rodríguez’s uneven run in the majors. The 26-year-old had hit .177/.288/.301 in parts of three big-league seasons, a line that left little margin once Baltimore needed a roster place for a catcher. His presence in the organization went back to March 29, when the Orioles acquired him from the Cleveland Guardians, and the club had already used Norfolk as his staging point before the latest call-up and DFA.

Pozo’s arrival gives Norfolk another experienced name in the queue, while Baltimore tries to stabilize a catching chart that had already forced Sam Huff and Chadwick Tromp into shared duties. The Orioles’ move also sent a signal about how quickly the Triple-A-to-MLB pipeline can turn when the big club is short on a premium position: one waiver claim can create room, but only by pushing another player back into the churn.

Rodríguez was not the only roster piece to move. MLB.com’s transactions log showed the Orioles designated Rudy Martin Jr. for assignment on July 20, and the Toronto Blue Jays claimed him off waivers before optioning him to Triple-A Buffalo. In a span of roster moves, Baltimore and Toronto both used waivers and options to refill the same depth lane, leaving Norfolk and Buffalo as the latest landing spots in a rapidly shifting chain.