The Baltimore Orioles are in the midst of a fierce battle to win the American League East, but they have recently had to fight that battle without several key players.

Entering Wednesday’s game, the Orioles were a half-game ahead of the New York Yankees at the top of the East with just 35 games left to play. They also have a good shot at first place in the AL, as they are currently virtually tied with the Cleveland Guardians.

After injuries to All-Star infielder Jordan Westburg and speedster Jorge Mateo, the Orioles have been undermanned on the field for weeks. Top talent Jackson Holliday has taken over the position of second baseman, but the role of third baseman remains unclear.

The Orioles currently have Ramón Urías starting at third base in most games, but they don’t have many other options at hot corner on defense, which prompted them to seek outside help on Wednesday.

The Orioles announced on X that they have acquired infielder Emmanuel Rivera from the Miami Marlins via waivers. To make room for Rivera on the 40-man roster, all-around player Terrin Vavra was designated for assignment.

Rivera, 28, played 96 games for Miami this season, posting a .214 batting average with one home run and an OPS of .563. He was a member of the 2023 National League-winning Arizona Diamondbacks and was on their World Series roster, where he hit 2-of-5 in Arizona’s loss to the Texas Rangers.

The Orioles will be Rivera’s fourth MLB team in his four-year career, after his breakthrough season with the Kansas City Royals in 2021.

Ironically, Rivera became available because the Marlins promoted former Orioles player Connor Norby, whom they traded to Miami on July 31, to their major league roster.

Rivera will likely split time with Urías at third base, which has been his primary position this season. He has played 77 games at the hot corner this season, in addition to 13 appearances at first base.

Rivera’s numbers are far from staggering, but with the right team, any hitter can hit home runs. The Orioles obviously hope to have Westburg back for the postseason, but if not, it’s always good to have options.

And if nothing else, Rivera made it to the World Series last season, which is where the Orioles want to go. He can certainly teach them a lesson or two along the way.

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