Astros' Steven Okert: Signs minors deal with Houston
Rotowire
Okert signed a minor-league contract with the Astros on Nov. 5.
Okert appeared in 44 games for the Twins in 2024, putting up a 5.09 ERA and 1.50 WHIP across 35.1 innings -- his worst statistical season since 2017. The 33-year-old southpaw will have an opportunity to bounce back with the Astros organization, though he will likely need to redeem himself at Triple-A Sugar Land before getting a chance to pitch for Houston.
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Twins' Steven Okert: Outrighted to Triple-A
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The Twins outrighted Okert to Triple-A St. Paul on Monday.
Okert cleared waivers after being designated for assignment and will remain in the organization as left-handed relief depth. He holds a 5.09 ERA and 33:16 K:BB over 35.1 frames this season at the major-league level.
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Twins' Steven Okert: Dropped from 40-man
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The Twins designated Okert for assignment Saturday, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Okert will lose his spot in the Twins' bullpen after posting a 5.09 ERA and 1.50 WHIP across 35.1 innings on the season. Scott Blewett was promoted from Triple-A St. Paul to fill the open roster spot.
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Twins' Steven Okert: Returns from bereavement leave
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The Twins reinstated Okert (personal) from the bereavement list Monday.
Right-hander Randy Dobnak was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul to open up a spot on the 26-man active roster for Okert, who was away from the team for the past week while tending to the personal matter. Okert has mostly operated as a middle-relief arm for the Twins this season, logging a 4.45 ERA and 1.48 WHIP to go with three wins, one save and six holds over 30.1 innings.
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Twins' Steven Okert: Away from team
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The Twins placed Okert (personal) on the bereavement list Monday.
Okert will be away from the team for up to seven days as he tends to personal issues. In his stead, Josh Winder was called up from Triple-A St. Paul to serve out of the bullpen. Okert has a 4.45 ERA in 30.1 innings with the Twins this season.
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Twins' Steven Okert: Opening Wednesday's contest
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Okert will serve as the Twins' opening pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Phillies, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Wednesday will mark Okert's first start of the season and just the third of his MLB career. The 33-year-old southpaw has recorded more than three outs in just three of his 34 appearances this season, so he's unlikely to work more than two innings before giving way to David Festa, who is expected to be called up from Triple-A St. Paul to serve as a bulk reliever.
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Twins' Steven Okert: Scoreless inning in win
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Okert allowed one hit and one walk while striking out one over a scoreless inning in Saturday's 5-1 victory over the Mariners.
Okert started the season somewhat slowly with a 3.97 ERA and six walks in 11.1 innings in his first 13 outings. He's since posted a 2.57 ERA with just four walks in 14 innings since May 11. While his 8.5 K/9 is down from an 11.2 K/9 last season, he's still been productive with a low 2.6 BB/9 and 1.11 HR/9. He's become a steady setup man for the Twins but isn't used in many high-leverage situations to earn holds or saves.
Okert earned the save in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Dodgers, allowing one hit while recording a strikeout in a scoreless inning.
It's the first save in seven big-league seasons for Okert. The Twins appear to be utilizing a committee approach in the late innings with Jhoan Duran (oblique) on the injured list. Griffin Jax, Minnesota's primary high-leverage option, worked the eighth inning Wednesday against the middle of the Dodgers' lineup. The left-hander Okert has allowed one run on five hits and a pair of walks while logging seven strikeouts through his first four innings this season.
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Twins' Steven Okert: Was set for save chance
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Okert threw a scoreless ninth inning in Wednesday's win at Milwaukee with a walk and three strikeouts. He would have be in line for a save had the Twins not scored in the top of the ninth inning. "At that point in the game, Okert with the experience was probably the answer," manager Rocco Baldelli told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Griffin Jax, who has Minnesota's only save with Jhoan Duran (oblique) on the injured list, was used in the eighth inning against the heart of the Brewers' lineup. While Okert isn't likely to get many save chances, he appears to be in the high-leverage mix and could see some ninth-inning opportunities when Baldelli is playing matchups.
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Twins' Steven Okert: Headed to Minnesota
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The Twins acquired Okert from the Marlins on Sunday in exchange for utility player Nick Gordon, Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reports.
Okert spent the last three seasons in Miami, most recently compiling a 4.45 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with 73 strikeouts over 58.2 innings in 64 appearances, including two starts, in 2023. The southpaw will now look to carve out a late-inning role with the Twins heading into his seventh major-league campaign.
Marlins' Steven Okert: Avoids arbitration with Marlins
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Okert signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Marlins on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Okert threw a career-high 58.2 innings in 2023 and maintained a 4.45 ERA to go along with a 1.26 WHIP. His 73:24 K:BB was more impressive, and he should shoulder a heavy workload in the Marlins' bullpen once again in 2024.
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Marlins' Steven Okert: Serving as opener Sunday
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Okert will serve as the Marlins' opening pitcher Sunday against the Phillies, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
With the Phillies having lefties Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper among their first three hitters, the Marlins' decision to deploy the left-handed Okert at the start of the game makes sense. The Marlins haven't designated a primary pitcher to work behind Okert, but Bryan Hoeing and Edward Cabrera would seem to be the most logical candidates.
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Marlins' Steven Okert: Hit with loss as opener
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Okert (3-1) took the loss Sunday against the Orioles, coughing up three runs on four hits in only one-third of an inning.
Getting the nod as the opener in a bullpen day, Okert gave up doubles to the first two batters he faced before Anthony Santander crushed a slider over the center-field fence. Long balls have been an issue for the southpaw reliever lately -- he's served up three homers in his last 9.1 innings, posting a 6.75 ERA and 1,39 WHIP over that stretch despite a 13:2 K:BB. Okert already has 10 holds and three wins in 38 appearances on the season, but his grip on a set-up role could be tenuous.
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Marlins' Steven Okert: Opening on Sunday
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Okert will serve as an opener for the Marlins on Sunday in Baltimore, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
Johnny Cueto seems to be a good bet to serve as a bulk reliever in the game. Okert has been fantastic for the Marlins this season, holding a 2.53 ERA and 43:11 K:BB over 32 relief innings.
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Marlins' Steven Okert: Collects seventh hold
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Okert gave up a hit in a scoreless seventh inning to record his seventh hold of the season in Sunday's win over the Nationals.
The veteran lefty continues to be stingy. Okert has been scored upon only three times in 22 appearances since the beginning of May, posting a 0.90 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 28:5 K:BB through 20 innings over that stretch. His outstanding numbers have earned him a more prominent role in the Miami bullpen, and over his last nine games he's picked up two wins and four holds. While he's no threat to A.J. Puk's closing job, Okert has emerged as a reliable setup arm alongside Dylan Floro and Tanner Scott.
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Marlins' Steven Okert: Gets win in extras
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Okert (1-0) allowed an unearned run on a hit and a walk but got the win in an extra innings affair versus the Cubs on Sunday.
Okert was unable to shut the Cubs out in the 13th to try and get the save but wound up with the win instead. He now sits at one win and one hold on the year and has been a reliable arm once again this season with a 3.52 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and a 10:5 K:BB over 7.2 innings.
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Marlins' Steven Okert: Activated from injured list
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Okert (groin) was activated Friday from the 15-day injured list, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.
Okert will join the Marlins' bullpen for Friday night's game against the Guardians after missing the first three weeks of the 2023 season with an adductor injury. He was effective for Miami in both 2021 and 2022, and the 31-year-old left-hander could take on a setup role now that he's back to full health, although he'll be behind both A.J. Puk and Tanner Scott in the pecking order from the port side.
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Marlins' Steven Okert: Needs two more rehab outings
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Okert (groin) is scheduled to make a pair of rehab appearances at Triple-A Jacksonville on back-to-back days this week before being activated from the 15-day injured list, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
Okert's ability to pitch on consecutive days will be the final hurdle he needs to clear before the Marlins are comfortable adding him back to the big-league bullpen. The 31-year-old should profile as one of the Marlins' top left-handed options out of the bullpen after he logged a 2.98 ERA over 51.1 innings while gathering 19 holds in 2022.
