Orioles Recall Travis Ishikawa, Start Him As Designated Hitter

Faced with a decision to either promote or lose Travis Ishikawa, the Orioles added the veteran first baseman to their major league roster June 18.

Ishikawa, 29, had an opt-out clause in his contract, which he exercised June 16. That gave the O’s a 48-hour window to either bring him to the majors, trade him or have him leave the organization as a free agent.

Ishikawa has spent the entire 2013 season at Triple-A Norfolk, where his bat has been red hot. He’s batting .316/.413/.525/.939 during 49 games with seven home runs and 31 RBIs.

During his major league career, Ishikawa has spent parts of four seasons with the Giants and one with the Brewers, amassing a career line of .264/.328/.405/.733. He is considered an excellent defensive first baseman.

Ishikawa’s stint with the Orioles might not last long, but he’s in the starting lineup June 18 in Detroit, batting eighth and serving as the designated hitter. He will face a tough task during his O’s debut, as he’ll be batting against Cy Young winner Justin Verlander for the first time during his career.

via PressBox: Orioles Recall Travis Ishikawa, Start Him As Designated Hitter.