Orioles to designate Franco for assignment, option Martin, add Gutierrez, Jones

With the Orioles on an 18-game game losing streak, the longest in Major League Baseball in 16 years, and just three short of tying their 21-game skid to begin the 1988 season, personnel changes are coming to the team’s infield.

Third baseman Maikel Franco, who was a late free agent signing will be designated for assignment according to a report by MASNsports.com and confirmed by an industry source. The Orioles will also option shorstop Richie Martin to Triple-A Norfolk and recall second baseman Jahmai Jones and third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez.

Franco’s signing which came in the final days of spring training, was expected to provide more offensive output at third, but the 28-year-old has a -1.3 WAR (Wins over Replacement). Franco is hitting just .210 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs, far below his career averages.

In 19 games in August, Franco has hit just .180 with one RBI.

Martin, who missed most of the season with a broken left wrist is hitting .227 with a home run and five RBIs in 15 games. He’s committed three errors, and could have been charged with another one in Saturday’s game.

Martin was a Rule 5 draft choice in December 2018, and stayed with the Orioles throughout the 2019 season. He was expected to spend much of 2020 at Norfolk, but the pandemic and a broken right wrist suffered in Summer Camp ended his year.

The Orioles expected Martin to again spend much of 2021 with the Tides, but because of the wrist injury, he’s played only 13 games at Triple-A.

Jones was acquired by the Orioles on February 2 from the Los Angeles Angels, who will play the Orioles in a three-game series beginning on Tuesday night, in exchange for right-handed Alex Cobb.

In three games with the Angels in 2020, Jones was 3-for-7 (.429) with one RBI. Jones was adjusting to second base with Norfolk and hit .238 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs. Jones stole 10 bases in 13 attempts and committed seven errors in 52 games at second base. He didn’t commit an error in 11 games in left field, his original position.

Jones missed time earlier this season with an oblique injury. He’ll become the 54th player used by the Orioles, two short of the team record of 56 in 2019.

Gutierrez, who was purchased by the Orioles from Kansas City on July 3, hit .174 with two RBIs in eight games while Franco was sidelined with a sprained ankle. He was hitting .233 with four homers and 13 RBIs in 25 games at Norfolk.