TORONTO (AP) — Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Kyle Stowers made his major league debut against the Blue Jays Monday night after being added to the roster as a substitute player for a four-game series in Toronto.
Stowers and right-hander Rico Garcia were put on the roster Monday in place of outfielder Anthony Santander and left-hander Keegan Akin, who were placed on the restricted list before Baltimore’s first of three trips north of the border this season.
The Canadian government requires a person to have received a second vaccine dose — or one dose of Johnson & Johnson — at least 14 days prior to entering the country.
Players who go on the restricted list because they are not vaccinated against COVID-19 are not paid and do not accrue major league service time, according to a March agreement between Major League Baseball and the players’ association.
Santander will lose $69,231 of his $3.15 million salary, while Akin loses $15,953 of his $709,500 salary.
Stowers was in the lineup in left field and batting eighth against Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah.
Both Stowers and Garcia had been at Triple-A Norfolk, where Stowers hit .253 with 12 home runs and 34 RBIs in 49 games.
“He was swinging the bat extremely well,” manager Brandon Hyde said of Stowers. “Love the athleticism, how he plays defense, how he runs. It’s a cool way for him to break into the big leagues and I’m looking forward to watching him play tonight.”
Santander is batting .238 with a team-high 11 home runs and 33 RBIs in 59 games. He homered in Sunday's 10-7 win over Kansas City.
Akin is 1-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 16 relief appearances. He has struck out 30 batters and walked 10 over 38 innings.
The Orioles visit Toronto again in August and September.
Also Monday, infielder Chris Owings cleared waivers and was released.
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