Kaleb James Ort (born February 5, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox. Listed at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and 240 pounds (110 kg), he throws and bats right-handed.

Kaleb Ort
Ort with the Pulaski Yankees in 2017
Houston Astros – No. 63
Pitcher
Born: (1992-02-05) February 5, 1992 (age 32)
Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 13, 2021, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
(through September 2, 2024)
Win–loss record3–5
Earned run average5.08
Strikeouts68
Teams

Career

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Amateur

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Ort grew up in Lowell, Michigan, and played college baseball at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan; however he was not selected in the MLB draft.[1]

Joliet Slammers

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On October 7, 2015, Ort signed with the Joliet Slammers of the independent Frontier League.[2] In his first professional season, he appeared in 20 games, starting 12, and posted a 3-4 record and 6.05 ERA with 61 strikeouts in as many innings pitched.

On September 23, 2016, Ort signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.[3] However, he did not make an appearance for the organization before he was released on March 21, 2017.[4] After returning to Joliet, he made one appearance for the team in 2017, tossing two scoreless innings and striking out three.[3]

New York Yankees

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On May 16, 2017, Ort signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees organization. He spent the remainder of the season split between the rookie-level Pulaski Yankees and the Low-A Staten Island Yankees, accumulating a 3-0 record and 1.38 ERA with 39 strikeouts and 10 saves in 26.0 innings pitched. In 2018, Ort made 35 appearances between the High-A Tampa Tarpons and Double-A Trenton Thunder, working to a combined 2-2 record and 3.74 ERA with 69 strikeouts and 3 saves in 55.1 innings pitched.

Ort played the 2019 season with Staten Island, Trenton, and the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, pitching to a 6-0 record and 3.40 ERA with 78 strikeouts and 4 saves in 50.1 innings of work. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Boston Red Sox

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On December 10, 2020, Ort was selected by the Boston Red Sox during the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 draft.[3] Ort opened the 2021 season in Triple-A with the Worcester Red Sox.[3] On September 10, the Red Sox added Ort to their active roster.[6] He made his major-league debut on September 13; pitching in relief against the Seattle Mariners, he allowed one hit and no runs in 13 of an inning.[7] Ort was returned to Worcester, and removed from the 40-man roster, on September 14.[8] In 42 relief appearances with Worcester, Ort recorded 19 saves with a 2.98 earned run average (ERA) while striking out 62 batters in 45 13 innings pitched.[9]

Ort returned to Worcester to begin the 2022 season, pitching out of the bullpen as a closer.[9] He was added to Boston's active roster on July 9,[10] and made his first MLB appearance of the season the next day.[11] He split time between Worcester and Boston during August,[12] and spent almost all of September with Boston.[13] On September 29, Ort recorded his first MLB save by pitching a scoreless ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles.[14] In 25 relief appearances with Boston, Ort pitched to a 1–2 record with one save and a 6.35 ERA while striking out 27 batters in 28 13 innings.[15]

Ort began the 2023 season on Boston's major-league roster, and worked out of the bullpen until being optioned to Worcester on April 30.[16] He was briefly with Boston in early May[17] and early June,[18] then recalled on June 18 when Tanner Houck was placed on the injured list.[19] Ort was placed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation on July 7,[20] and transferred to the 60–day IL on July 26.[21] On October 11, Ort was removed from the 40–man roster and placed on outright waivers.[22]

Baltimore Orioles

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On October 13, 2023, Ort was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners.[23] On December 2, he was again claimed off waivers, this time by the Miami Marlins. The Marlins subsequently designated him for assignment on February 7, 2024,[24] and he was claimed off waivers for a third time on February 13, by the Philadelphia Phillies.[25] The Phillies designated him for assignment themselves on February 19[26] and he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for cash considerations later that day.[27] He was optioned to the Triple–A Norfolk Tides to begin the 2024 season.[28] Ort earned a save when he, Chayce McDermott and Nolan Hoffman achieved a combined no-hitter in a 2–0 Tides away win over the Nashville Sounds on May 3.[29] In 14 games for Norfolk, he struggled to a 12.08 ERA with 16 strikeouts across 12 23 innings pitched.

Houston Astros

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On May 28, 2024, Ort was claimed off waivers by the Houston Astros.[30]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Kaleb Ort". Main Fan Zone. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  2. ^ "Frontier League" (PDF).
  3. ^ a b c d "Kaleb Ort". SoxProspects.com. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  4. ^ "Kaleb Ort Stats & Scouting Report - Baseball America".
  5. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  6. ^ Franco, Anthony (September 10, 2021). "Red Sox Select Kaleb Ort". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  7. ^ "Red Sox vs. Mariners - Box Score". ESPN.com. September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  8. ^ "Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. Boston Red Sox. September 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Kaleb Ort Independent, Amateur & Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  10. ^ "Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. Boston Red Sox. July 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  11. ^ Speier, Alex (July 10, 2022). "Red Sox battle back again for second straight comeback win over the Yankees, 11-6". The Boston Globe. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  12. ^ "Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. Boston Red Sox. August 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  13. ^ "Boston Red Sox put RHP Kaleb Ort on restricted list, recall Jarren Duran". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 30, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  14. ^ "Red Sox's Kaleb Ort: Earns first career save". CBS Sports. September 30, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  15. ^ "Kaleb Ort Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  16. ^ "Red Sox reinstate RHP Chris Martin from 15-Day injured list; club options RHP Kaleb Ort to Triple-A Worcester". MLB.com (Press release). Boston Red Sox. April 30, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  17. ^ Smith, Christopher (May 6, 2023). "Red Sox trade addition Zack Littell selected to roster, Kaleb Ort optioned". masslive.com. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  18. ^ Doyle, Peyton (June 6, 2023). "Red Sox call up Chris Murphy for potential MLB debut Tuesday". Boston.com. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  19. ^ "Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Moves to injured list". CBS Sports. June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  20. ^ "Red Sox's Kaleb Ort: Placed on injured list". cbssports.com. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  21. ^ "Red Sox's Kaleb Ort: Moved to 60-day IL". cbssports.com. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  22. ^ "Red Sox's Kaleb Ort: Placed on outright waivers". cbssports.com. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  23. ^ "Mariners' Kaleb Ort: Claimed by Mariners". cbssports.com. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  24. ^ "Marlins Designate Kaleb Ort For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors. February 7, 2024.
  25. ^ "Phillies' Kaleb Ort: Claimed by Philadelphia". CBSSports.com. February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  26. ^ "Phillies Designate Kaleb Ort For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors. February 19, 2024.
  27. ^ "Orioles Acquire Kaleb Ort, Designate Peyton Burdick". MLB Trade Rumors. February 19, 2024.
  28. ^ Brown, Mark (March 17, 2024). "Sunday Bird Droppings: The Orioles have one more week of games to inform their decisions". Camden Chat. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  29. ^ Alandt, Anthony (October 27, 2024). "Tides Throw 1st Combined No Hitter in Orioles Affiliate History in Win". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  30. ^ McDonald, Darragh (May 28, 2024). "Astros Claim Kaleb Ort From Orioles". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
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