Seranthony Domínguez was just chilling with his teammates Tuesday afternoon, taking a breather after Game 1 of the Orioles’ doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays, when he was called into interim manager Tony Mansolino’s office.
Domínguez knew right away that he was being traded. He will be a free agent after this season, and with the Orioles well out of playoff contention, he knew they were going to be sellers and that his name was going to be on the list of available players. He just didn’t know where or how far he would have to travel to his new team.
Turns out, it was only a short walk. Domínguez was acquired by Toronto, which was just on the other side of the stadium preparing for Game 2 of the doubleheader.
“It’s been kind of crazy because I woke up today and came to play for the Orioles,” he said. “I’m happy for the opportunity that I’m going to get here, and I’m so happy for the Orioles because they gave me the opportunity. I’m so grateful for the Orioles.”
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Thirty minutes after he was told the news, Domínguez had said his goodbyes to his Orioles teammates and packed up his locker. Now it was time to make the journey from the home clubhouse, which is behind the first-base dugout, to the visiting clubhouse, which is behind third base, where his new team was waiting for him.
Along the way, he shook hands with the ushers and stadium employees who have been stationed in the hallways all season. He was escorted by Toronto’s clubhouse assistant, who asked him a few get-to-know-you questions along the way, like who he knew on the Blue Jays (just two players), as Domínguez focused on just walking straight and not paying attention to the cameras on him.
“I felt a little uncomfortable,” he said.
Two hours later, in the third inning, Domínguez made his way out to the visiting bullpen dressed in his new colors. His former teammate Andrew Kittredge came over to the stairwell that connects the two bullpens to give him a hug.
“He would just yell at me a little bit, ‘What are you doing? Where are you going?’” Domínguez said. “It made me laugh. It made me sad at the same time too. You feel a relationship with the people that you are around and they are really good people there, and I wish them the best.”
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Domínguez, who did not pitch in Game 1 of the doubleheader for the Orioles, made his first appearance with Toronto in the seventh inning of Game 2, striking out Colton Cowser and Jackson Holliday in a scoreless outing. He’ll now go back to his Baltimore residence for the night, gather his things, then head out with the Blue Jays on Wednesday as they travel to Toronto.
He doesn’t expect to be the only one leaving town on a separate flight. He thinks, he said, that Cedric Mullins, Ryan O’Hearn and Charlie Morton, among others, may also be wearing new colors soon.
“They probably will,” he said. “It’s a business. I’m going to wish the best for those guys, great guys.”
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