Charlie Morton is back in a starting role as the Orioles look to win three games in a row for the first time all season.
The 2025 Orioles are yet to win three games in a row. But to be fair, they have only won two games in a row three times (including this weekend), so it’s not like they have had many chances. It’s mostly just a result of being a very, very bad baseball team. Maybe that turns around today? We can dream.
Charlie Morton will stand in their way. And yes, Morton is pitching FOR the Orioles, but he has been as much of an obstacle as anything else this season. The 41-year-old has appeared in 12 games this season. Six of those games were as a starter. But regardless of whether he pitched out of the rotation or the bullpen, the result has been the same. The Orioles have lost every single game in which Morton has pitched.
Now, Morton has not been equally bad in all of those appearances. Most recently, he tossed 4.1 innings of relief against the Nationals and allowed just one run on two hits, one walk, and six strikeouts. Morton was quite good that day, but Kyle Gibson had been so bad in what turned out to be his final appearance in an Orioles uniform that it didn’t matter.
Since May 5, Morton has pitched in four games. Over those four games he has a 3.38 ERA, 3.83 FIP, three walks, and 14 strikeouts over 13.1 innings. That is the type of pitcher the Orioles thought they were signing over the winter. If he could be close to that level, that would help out the rotation a whole bunch moving forward.
Orioles lineup
- Jackson Holliday, 2B
- Ramón Urías, DH
- Gunnar Henderson, SS
- Ryan Mountcastle, 1B
- Ryan O’Hearn, RF
- Emmanuel Rivera, 3B
- Heston Kjerstad, LF
- Dylan Carlson, CF
- Maverick Handley, C
RHP Charlie Morton (0-7, 7.68 ERA)
Cardinals lineup
- Lars Nootbaar, LF
- Masyn Winn, SS
- Brendan Donovan, 2B
- Willson Contreras, 1B
- Iván Herrera, DH
- Jordan Walker, RF
- Nolan Gorman, 3B
- Pedro Pagés, C
- Victor Scott II, CF
RHP Erick Fedde (3-3, 3.77 ERA)