Dean Kremer will once again attempt to get his season on track as the O’s open a three-game set against Kansas City.
The Orioles showed some signs of life in their series win over the Yankees. Now they’ll try to do the same against the hottest team in baseball.
The Kansas City Royals come to town as winners of nine of their last 10 games, getting right back into the thick of the AL Central race after an 8-14 start to the season. Take note, Orioles: it is possible to win a bunch of games in a row to recover from a lousy start.
The Royals have pulled off their hot streak despite not really having a good offense aside from Bobby Witt Jr., as Stacey detailed in her series preview. They’ve built their success on the backs of an outstanding starting rotation. The O’s are lucky that they won’t have to face the Royals’ best starter of 2025, Seth Lugo, in this series, nor tough lefty Cole Ragans. But tonight they’ll deal with veteran Michael Wacha, who’s plenty good in his own right, though the O’s tagged him for four runs in 5.2 innings when they faced him last month in K.C.
The Orioles will counter with the struggling Dean Kremer, who can be considered the worst pitcher in the O’s rotation now that Charlie Morton has been moved to the bullpen. (Though Kyle Gibson could vie for that title if he continues to pitch like he did in his season debut.) Kremer has a 7.40 ERA and has yet to complete six innings in any of his six starts this year.
Perhaps the chance to finally pitch at Camden Yards again will help Kremer. The way the schedule has shaken out, five of Kremer’s six starts this year have come on the road. All five have been lousy (including one in Kansas City on April 4). His best outing of the season was his lone home start, April 16 against the Guardians, whom he held to just one run in 5.1 innings. Kremer, who is averaging more than two home runs per nine, should be happy to face a non-slugging Royals lineup that has hit a league-worst 15 dingers this year.
Orioles lineup:
CF Cedric Mullins
SS Gunnar Henderson
C Adley Rutschman
DH Ryan O’Hearn
1B Ryan Mountcastle
2B Jackson Holliday
LF Ramón Laureano
RF Heston Kjerstad
3B Emmanuel Rivera
RHP Dean Kremer
Royals lineup:
LF Jonathan India
SS Bobby Witt Jr.
1B Vinnie Pasquantino
3B Maikel Garcia
2B Michael Massey
DH Mark Canha
RF Drew Waters
C Freddy Fermin
CF Kyle Isbel
RHP Michael Wacha