The Orioles released Wilkerson on Tuesday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Wilkerson has spent his entire career in the Baltimore organization since being selected in the eighth round of the 2014 first-year player draft, but the 29-year-old utility man looks poised to explore opportunities elsewhere following his release. Baltimore had already made it clear Wilkerson wasn't part of its long-term plans when he was designated for assignment in late June, and he wasn't on track to earn a call-up anytime soon after posting a .581 OPS in 24 games at Triple-A Norfolk following his removal from the 40-man roster.
Wilkerson cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Wilkerson was cast off the 40-man roster Wednesday, and he'll remain in the organization going forward. The 29-year-old failed to secure the job as the primary second baseman for the Orioles earlier in the season after he hit .167 with two doubles, five runs, two RBI and two stolen bases in 31 games with the major-league club.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: DFA'd by Baltimore
Rotowire
Wilkerson was designated for assignment by the Orioles on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday and has now been removed from the 40-man roster. Wilkerson had an opportunity to secure the everyday role at second base with the Orioles, but he slashed .167/.211/.208 with a 39.5 percent strikeout rate in 31 games before being demoted.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Optioned Sunday
Rotowire
Wilkerson was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday.
Wilkerson has been losing time to Pat Valaika at second base in recent weeks, so his Sunday demotion does not come as much of a surprise. Ramon Urias and Domingo Leyba were recalled from Norfolk with Freddy Galvis (quad) landing on the injured list in an infield shuffle.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Losing playing time
Rotowire
Wilkerson is out of the lineup Sunday against the Blue Jays, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Wilkerson rejoined the lineup Saturday after being on the bench the previous three games, but he went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Pat Valaika is starting again at second base and appears to have taken over the starting role, though it's worth noting neither player has offered much upside at the plate.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Sitting again Friday
Rotowire
Wilkerson is not in the lineup Friday against the Blue Jays, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Wilkerson is 4-for-23 with nine strikeouts through 10 games in June and is out of the lineup for the third consecutive contest. Pat Valaika is starting again at the keystone while mired in his own 0-for-9 slump.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Remains out of lineup
Rotowire
Wilkerson isn't in the lineup Thursday against Cleveland.
Wilkerson has gone 1-for-6 with three strikeouts across his last two appearances, and he'll be out of the lineup for a second straight game. Pat Valaika will start at second base and bat eighth.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Takes seat Wednesday
Rotowire
Wilkerson isn't starting Wednesday's game against Cleveland, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Even with right-hander Aaron Civale starting for Cleveland on Wednesday, Wilkerson will head back to the bench after he went 1-for-6 with three strikeouts across the last two games. Pat Valaika will start at second base and bat ninth.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Sits again versus lefty
Rotowire
Wilkerson is not in the starting lineup for the third straight game Sunday against Tampa Bay, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Pat Valaika will enter the starting nine at second base for the fourth time in five games, but all of those starts have come against a left-handed starting pitcher or bulk reliever. As such, Wilkerson could still be viewed as the strong-side platoon option at the position despite sitting more frequently of late.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Remains on bench
Rotowire
Wilkerson will sit Saturday against the Rays, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Wilkerson started seven straight games from May 29 through June 5 but recorded just three hits over that stretch. Since then, he's been on the bench four times in five games. Pat Valaika will be the second baseman Saturday.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Back on bench Friday
Rotowire
Wilkerson is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Rays, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Wilkerson will sit for the third time in four games as he continues to struggle through a 3-for-34 slump that includes 14 strikeouts. Pat Valaika will bat ninth and play second base.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Sits for second straight
Rotowire
Wilkerson remains on the bench Tuesday against the Mets, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Wilkerson finds himself on the bench for the second straight game. That follows a stretch in which he started seven straight games at second base. It's perhaps no surprise to see him losing playing time, as he went hitless in six of those seven contests and is now hitting .180/.241/.240 through 54 plate appearances this season. Pat Valaika will be the second baseman Tuesday.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Not starting Sunday
Rotowire
Wilkerson is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against Cleveland, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.
Wilkerson will get at least the beginning portion of the series finale off, as Ramon Urias takes over at the keystone.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Notches second steal
Rotowire
Wilkerson went 0-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Tuesday's 7-4 win over Minnesota.
Wilkerson wasn't able to get a hit Tuesday, but he worked his way into scoring position after an eighth-inning walk. The 29-year-old hasn't done much to earn anything more than platoon split at second base with Pat Valaika. Wilkerson has a .179/.256/.231 slash line with no home runs, two RBI, three runs scored and two stolen bases through 43 plate appearances.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: On bench for first game
Rotowire
Wilkerson will sit for the first half of Saturday's doubleheader against the White Sox, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Wilkerson was expected to sit Friday, but that game got postponed. He'll get a rest in the first of Saturday's two games, though it's likely that he returns for the nightcap.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: On bench Friday
Rotowire
Wilkerson will sit Friday against the White Sox.
Wilkerson hits the bench after starting four straight games. Pat Valaika will start at second base in his absence.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Notches steal Monday
Rotowire
Wilkerson went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Monday's 8-3 loss to Minnesota.
Wilkerson's only hit was a fifth-inning single, and he added his first stolen base of the year before getting stranded on third. The 29-year-old has gone 5-for-15 with an RBI, two runs scored and a double in six games since he was called up from Triple-A Norfolk. The switch-hitting Wilkerson figures to continue playing at second base on the strong side of a platoon with Pat Valaika.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Remains on bench
Rotowire
Wilkerson is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.
After getting called up from Triple-A Norfolk, starting at second base and going 2-for-4 in win over the Rays on Tuesday, Wilkerson has been relegated to a bench role in four of the Orioles' last five games. In each of those contests, the Orioles have faced a left-handed starting pitcher, so the switch-hitting Wilkerson has yielded second base to the right-handed Pat Valaika. The Orioles could still view Wilkerson as the large-side platoon option at the position.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Takes seat Wednesday
Rotowire
Wilkerson is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Following his promotion from Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday, Wilkerson was immediately thrust into a starting role at second base against Rays right-hander Luis Patino. The switch-hitting Wilkerson came through with two hits in his four at-bats, and he looks like he could have the opportunity to fill a strong-side platoon role at the keystone for the time being. However, Wilkerson will head to the bench in favor of Pat Valaika on Wednesday with southpaw Ryan Yarbrough on the hill for Tampa Bay.
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Orioles' Stevie Wilkerson: Called up by Orioles
Rotowire
The Orioles selected Wilkerson's contract Tuesday from Triple-A Norfolk.
Wilkerson joins the Orioles after failing to make the big-league roster in spring training. The utility player spent most of 2019 with Baltimore, hitting .225 with 10 homers in 119 games before missing all of 2020 with a fractured finger. Wilkerson boasts the versatility to play a number of positions, making him a logical replacement for Rio Ruiz, who was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
