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The Baltimore Orioles made a significant set of roster moves Saturday morning, headlined by the demotion of Dylan Carlson to Triple-A Norfolk. In the same announcement, the team promoted Emmanuel Rivera from the minors and designated pitcher Kyle Tyler for assignment as they continue to fine-tune the roster ahead of the trade deadline.
Rich Dubroff of Baltimore Baseball announced the roster moves on his official X account (formerly known as Twitter) with the following update.
“Dylan Carlson optioned to Norfolk. Emmanuel Rivera’s contract selected and RHP Kyle Tyler DFA”
Carlson, acquired earlier this year, has struggled to establish himself in the Orioles' lineup. Over 40 games this season, he slashed just .241/.278/.389 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in 108 at-bats.
His 26.1% strikeout rate and 87 WRC+ were both well below league average, and despite a brief hot streak in June — batting .353 over his last 10 games — the Orioles opted to send him down to recalibrate.
The demotion allows the club to keep him under team control and give him everyday reps in Triple-A Norfolk, where he can work on plate discipline and regain his confidence. The move was also made easier by the fact that Carlson has minor-league options remaining, avoiding the need to expose him to waivers.
Meanwhile, the Rivera promotion adds a versatile right-handed infielder to the bench. Rivera hit .280 with a .358 OBP and 14 RBIs in 25 games for Triple-A Norfolk, showing enough consistency to earn another look at the big-league level.
His glove can provide stability at both corner infield spots, and he previously logged 26 games for Baltimore earlier this season with a .232 batting average.
To clear a 40-man roster spot for Rivera, the club designated right-hander Kyle Tyler for assignment. Tyler has moved around multiple organizations over the past year, and Baltimore will now wait to see if he clears waivers or is claimed by another club.
The timing of these Orioles roster moves is no coincidence. With the trade deadline just weeks away, Baltimore is actively evaluating its internal talent pool to determine who will contribute down the stretch. Carlson’s demotion is likely temporary, but it sends a message about performance expectations on a contending roster.
As the Orioles continue battling for AL East positioning, decisions like this one highlight the front office’s commitment to winning — and to giving struggling players the space to improve without jeopardizing the team’s momentum.
