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Orioles claim ex-Guardians slugger with incredible nickname 'Big Christmas'
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- Orioles claim ex-Guardians slugger with incredible nickname 'Big Christmas'
Orioles claim ex-Guardians slugger with incredible nickname 'Big Christmas' originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Baltimore Orioles have had one of the more active offseasons to date, with Pete Alonso , Shane Baz , Ryan Helsley , and Taylor Ward all coming to Baltimore.
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But, there's going to be plenty more moves this offseason, potentially including another ace-level pitcher this winter.
According to Francys Romero of Beisbolfr.com , the Orioles are claiming a slugger from the Cleveland Guardians with one of the best names in baseball: Big Christmas.
Orioles claim Big Christmas off waivers from Guardians
"The Baltimore Orioles claimed Jhonkensy Noel off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians ," Romero reports.
Noel is an outfielder who's also spent time at first base and designated hitter in his Major League career. But primarily, he's played in the outfield for Cleveland and has been an okay fielder.
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Jhonkensy Noel is a 24-year-old prospect who struggled to make his mark for the Guardians the last few seasons.
More: Orioles sign former Phillies, Rays starter to $10 million free agent deal
He had a solid 2024, with a 1.0 bWAR across 67 games with 39 hits, 25 runs scored, seven doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 28 RBIs, a .218 average, and a .774 OPS to go with a clutch postseason home run against the New York Yankees .
This past season, in 69 games, Noel hit .162 with a .480 OPS, a 31 OPS+, and six home runs with 13 RBIs in a much worse season than his 2024 rookie year. His -1.4 bWAR was a brutal way to follow up a decent rookie year.
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Noel is a fascinating claim from the Orioles, and combined with his incredible nickname of "Big Christmas," this move could be a fun way for Baltimore.
