Orioles Take Low-Risk Flier on Hard-Throwing Reliever Eduarniel Núñez

The Baltimore Orioles continue to search for bullpen depth, and their latest move could turn into one of the more intriguing under-the-radar additions of the season.

Baltimore acquired right-handed reliever Eduarniel Núñez from the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations after Oakland designated the hard-throwing reliever for assignment earlier this week. While the move may not generate major headlines nationally, it is exactly the type of upside bullpen gamble the Orioles have increasingly targeted in recent seasons.

Núñez, who made his Major League debut last year, arrives in Baltimore carrying both significant upside and equally obvious developmental concerns. The 25-year-old possesses premium raw stuff, highlighted by a lively fastball that can overpower hitters when commanded effectively. MLB Pipeline previously ranked him as the Athletics’ No. 22 prospect, largely because of the quality of his arsenal and the belief that his stuff could eventually translate into a late-inning bullpen role.

At first glance, the numbers and scouting reports paint the picture of a classic modern relief project. The velocity jumps off the page. The movement profile on his pitches is impressive. Hitters struggle to square him up consistently. However, the biggest obstacle throughout his professional career has been repeating his delivery and consistently throwing strikes.

That inconsistency ultimately led to Oakland deciding to move on despite the obvious talent.

For the Orioles, though, this is the exact type of acquisition worth making.

Baltimore’s player development system has quietly become one of the better pitching laboratories in baseball over the last several years. Under the current front office structure, the Orioles have repeatedly targeted pitchers with elite traits — velocity, spin rates, extension, or movement — and attempted to refine command and pitch usage afterward. Núñez fits that profile almost perfectly.

His fastball is the carrying tool.

The pitch regularly sits in the upper 90s with strong life through the zone, allowing him to generate swings and misses even when hitters know it is coming. The velocity alone gives him a chance to compete immediately, but the pitch becomes significantly more dangerous because of the way it pairs with his slider.

The slider flashes as a true out pitch.

When Núñez is locating consistently, the slider shows sharp late break and enough depth to miss bats against both right-handed and left-handed hitters. Scouts have long viewed it as a legitimate Major League weapon. His curveball lags behind the other two offerings, but it gives him another look that can occasionally keep hitters from sitting on velocity.

The challenge has always been control.

Núñez’s delivery can become difficult for him to repeat mechanically, leading to stretches where his command completely disappears. There are outings where he looks capable of dominating Major League hitters for multiple innings, followed immediately by appearances where walks pile up and pitch counts spiral out of control.

That inconsistency is likely why Oakland felt comfortable designating him for assignment despite his upside.

Still, Baltimore’s bullpen situation makes this an understandable move.

The Orioles have dealt with inconsistency throughout portions of the relief corps this season, and the organization has continued searching for controllable power arms that can either contribute immediately or develop into long-term bullpen pieces. Adding Núñez costs virtually nothing financially while giving the club another high-upside arm to evaluate.

There is also a chance Baltimore sees specific adjustments that could unlock more consistency.

The Orioles have done an excellent job in recent years helping pitchers simplify mechanics, improve pitch usage, and maximize strengths analytically. Even small improvements in Núñez’s strike throwing ability could dramatically raise his ceiling because the raw stuff is already Major League caliber.

This is the kind of move that often goes unnoticed initially but can become meaningful later in the season.

If Núñez can harness the command even slightly, Baltimore may have found itself a controllable reliever with late-inning potential for almost no acquisition cost. If the command issues remain unchanged, the Orioles can move on with minimal risk attached.

That balance of upside versus cost makes the transaction an easy one to understand from Baltimore’s perspective.

The Orioles are not bringing in Núñez expecting him to suddenly become an All-Star overnight. Instead, they are betting on traits — velocity, swing-and-miss ability, and pitch quality — while trusting their pitching development infrastructure to help refine the rest.

For a team still looking to strengthen bullpen depth heading deeper into the season, it is a smart gamble worth taking.

And if Baltimore’s pitching coaches can help stabilize his mechanics and improve the strike throwing, Eduarniel Núñez could quietly become one of the more interesting bullpen projects in the organization.