Ellis signed a minor-league contract with the Diamondbacks on Thursday.
Ellis sat out the 2023 season with a shoulder injury and was set to pitch independent ball to begin 2024. He'll presumably report to Triple-A Reno and will serve as non-roster depth for the time being.
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Chris Ellis: Elects free agency
Rotowire
Ellis (shoulder) elected free agency Friday instead of reporting to Triple-A Norfolk, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Ellis was outrighted to Triple-A on Sunday, but he has decided to test the open market instead of reporting to Norfolk. The right-hander appeared in two games with the Orioles in 2022 before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery, surrendering five runs over 4.1 innings. The 30-year-old will look to return to his 2021 form at his next destination after posting a 2.15 ERA over seven appearances during that campaign.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Activated, outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
Ellis (shoulder) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list and outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday, Dan Connolly of The Athletic reports.
Ellis appeared in only two games for the Orioles before he required season-ending shoulder surgery in early May, and he won't stick on the 40-man roster through the offseason. It's unclear if he's expected to be healthy for the start of spring training in February.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Shifts to 60-day IL
Rotowire
Ellis (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Thursday.
Ellis had already been ruled out for the season after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery in early May, so his move to the 60-day IL is simply procedural to open up a spot on the 40-man roster. The right-hander is a likely non-tender candidate this offseason.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Surgery deemed season-ending
Rotowire
Manager Brandon Hyde said the arthroscopic shoulder surgery Ellis underwent in Arlington, Texas earlier Wednesday will end the right-hander's season, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.
Even though Ellis' surgery is being described as a cleanup procedure, the fact that he had to clean up both his rotator cuff and his labrum will extend his recovery timeline into the offseason. The 29-year-old will reside on the 10-day injured list for now, but he'll be a candidate to move to the 60-day IL whenever the Orioles need to open up a spot on the 40-man roster. Ellis will likely be a non-tender candidate heading into the offseason.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Receives shoulder scope
Rotowire
Ellis underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Wednesday and is without a clear timeline for a return from the 10-day injured list, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
After meeting with renowned arm specialist Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, Ellis opted to go under the knife to address the shoulder injury he sustained in his April 24 start against the Angels. Since his surgery was a scope rather than a labrum repair, Ellis should be able to return later this season, though he'll likely be sidelined for at least a month before he starts up a throwing program.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Getting shoulder looked at
Rotowire
Ellis left the Orioles on Tuesday to receive an evaluation on his right shoulder from a doctor in Texas, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
Ellis was diagnosed with right shoulder inflammation when he was placed on the injured list April 26, but the fact that he's visiting a doctor far away from Baltimore hints that a more severe injury could be in play. The Orioles should provide an update on Ellis' condition after the checkup, but at the very least, he'll be sidelined for more than the minimum.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Hits IL with shoulder issue
Rotowire
The Orioles placed Ellis on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with right shoulder inflammation, retroactive to April 25.
Ellis pitched through the injury in his second start of the season in the Orioles' loss to the Angels on Sunday, when he was tagged for five earned runs on one hit and three walks while failing to record an out before he was mercifully pulled. Though the fact that the Orioles diagnosed him with shoulder inflammation rather than a strain bodes well for his chances of avoiding an extended absence, Ellis might not have a rotation spot waiting for him once he's healthy again.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Exits with right shoulder issue
Rotowire
Ellis was removed from Sunday's game against the Angels in the top of the first inning due to right shoulder discomfort, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
Ellis started Sunday's matchup and gave up five runs on a hit and three walks while failing to record an out. He had tossed 4.1 scoreless innings in his season debut, so it's possible his injury contributed to his struggles Sunday. It's not yet clear whether he'll be able to pitch when he lines up at home against the Red Sox on Saturday.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Posts 4.1 scoreless innings
Rotowire
Ellis registered a no-decision during Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Oakland, allowing four hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
Ellis was called up to make his first appearance of the season and responded with a quality performance. He allowed multiple baserunners in the second, fourth and fifth innings but was able to keep Oakland off the scoreboard and Baltimore in the game. Ellis has pitched well when given the opportunity with a career 1.82 ERA through 34.2 innings and may have earned another pass through the rotation with the solid outing.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Contract selected, starting Tuesday
Rotowire
Ellis had his contract selected by the Orioles and will start Tuesday's game against the Athletics.
The 29-year-old appeared in seven games between the Rays and Orioles last year and posted a 2.15 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 23:14 K:BB across 29.1 innings. Baltimore's rotation is a mess to begin the season with John Means (elbow) already on the 60-day injured list and with Dean Kremer (oblique) also out, so Ellis could earn a longer look as a starter with a decent performance in Oakland.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Headed for minors
Rotowire
The Orioles reassigned Ellis to their minor-league camp Wednesday, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.
Ellis was one of several pitchers competing for a back-end rotation or long-relief role with the big club, but he lost out on a spot to the likes of Dean Kremer, Keegan Akin and Mike Baumann on the Orioles' initial 28-man Opening Day roster. The 29-year-old righty, who submitted a 2.15 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 29.1 big-league innings last season between stops with Tampa Bay and Baltimore, is expected to report to Triple-A Norfolk.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Slated to start Friday
Rotowire
Ellis will start Friday's spring game against the Rays, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
Ellis was slated to work in relief Friday, but with fellow pitcher Jordan Lyles scratched due to an illness, he will instead open the game on the bump.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Set for spring debut Friday
Rotowire
Ellis (shoulder) is scheduled to pitch in relief Friday in the Orioles' Grapefruit League game against the Rays, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
He'll likely work no more than an inning or two behind starter Jordan Lyles in what will be Ellis' first appearance of the spring. Ellis got off to a delayed start to camp after not signing with the Orioles on a minor-league deal until last week, but he at least seems to be healthy again after a bout with right shoulder inflammation kept him on the shelf at the end of the 2021 campaign. Ellis is competing for a spot the Orioles' Opening Day rotation, which looks unsettled at the moment beyond Lyles and ace John Means.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Throws BP on Sunday
Rotowire
Ellis (shoulder) threw a live batting practice session Sunday and is nearing a return to game action, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Ellis inked a minor-league deal with the Orioles last Wednesday, though he's in competition for a spot on the big-league roster. The right-hander was solid in a limited sample with a 2.15 ERA and 1.19 WHIP across 29.1 innings with the Rays and Orioles. He's primarily served as a starter in his minor-league career, though it's unclear if he'll be in the mix for a spot in the rotation or as a long reliever with the O's if he can win a spot out of spring training.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Signs with Orioles
Rotowire
Ellis (shoulder) signed a minor-league contract with the Orioles on Wednesday, Dan Connolly of The Athletic reports.
Ellis declined an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk in early November, but he'll return to the organization for spring training. The right-hander will likely be in the mix for a major-league roster spot after he posted a 2.15 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 29.1 innings across seven appearances (six starts) with the Rays and Orioles last year. However, it's not yet clear whether he's still dealing with his shoulder inflammation that forced him to miss the end of the 2021 campaign.
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Chris Ellis: Heads to free agency
Rotowire
Ellis (shoulder) became a free agent Friday after declining an outright assignment to the minors, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.
Ellis tossed 29.1 innings for the Rays and Orioles this season and posted a 2.15 ERA, though his 19.0 percent strikeout rate, 11.6 percent walk rate and 27.2 percent groundball rate were all poor. He missed the end of the year with shoulder inflammation, which may or may not still be an issue by the time spring training begins.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Lands on injured list
Rotowire
Ellis was placed on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation Tuesday.
Ellis was pulled after three innings Sunday against the Rangers with what was originally referred to as arm fatigue, an issue which caused his previous start to be skipped. It's now clear that the issue is serious enough to send him to the injured list, which ends his season given that there's less than a week left to play. Ellis posted a 2.15 ERA in six starts and one relief appearance this season, but his peripherals were poor across the board; his 19.0 percent strikeout rate, 11.6 percent walk rate and 27.2 percent groundball rate were all significantly worse than league average.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Arm fatigue resurfaces
Rotowire
Ellis was pulled after three innings Saturday against the Rangers due to arm fatigue, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.
Ellis was skipped in the rotation earlier in the week due to arm fatigue, and the issue cropped up again after he was cleared to start Saturday's contest. He still pitched well with three scoreless frames, but with only a week left in the regular season, it could end up meaning he's already taken the mound for the final time in 2021.
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Orioles' Chris Ellis: Gets early hook against Rangers
Rotowire
Ellis allowed two hits and one walk with two strikeouts over three innings, taking a no-decision in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Rangers.
Ellis allowed just a pair of singles Saturday night against Texas before getting an early hook from manager Brandon Hyde. The right-hander's spot in the rotation was skipped Sept. 21 after Ellis reported some arm fatigue, so his premature exit could be due to lingering effects or perhaps it was simply out of an abundance of caution. With the Orioles' season long over, it's unclear how (or if) the 29-year-old will be used moving forward.
