BALTIMORE—For the first time this season, someone other than Gunnar Henderson is leading off for the Orioles.
Jordan Westburg is the leadoff hitter for Wednesday afternoon’s game against Toronto. Henderson will bat fourth. Adley Rutschman will be the designated hitter and bat second, as he normally does, and Ryan Mountcastle will bat third against Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi.
“Just a little bit the way our lineup is with two lefties at the bottom,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “A bunch of things. Having Gunnar in a bit more of an RBI spot, and having those four guys at the top with Santander in the middle there. We’ll see what it looks like.”
Left-handed hitters Colton Cowser (seventh) and Cedric Mullins (ninth) are playing.
Because of Tuesday’s postponed game, Toronto switched from right-hander Chris Bassitt to Kikuchi.
“He’s been great against lefties and righties,” Hyde said about Westburg. “I’m comfortable hitting him wherever. I love the at-bats he takes. He really grinds at the plate. He doesn’t take a pitch off and stays on the baseball so well. Unbelievably competitive. He’s been wonderful this year.”
Westburg is batting .244 with a .799 OPS against left-handed pitchers and .320 with a .920 OPS against right-handers.
“Don’t read too much into this,” Hyde said. “I think everybody reads way too much into lineups, especially spring training lineups, but this is more of where we have Gunnar still hitting in the top part of the order with two lefties in the bottom part of the order. With Gunnar at the top, it’s three lefties out of four hitters. I’m looking to break it up with Gunnar still in a big spot in our lineup.”