Gas ‘em up! Grayson Rodriguez makes his season debut as the O’s look for a 2-0 start to the season.
Opening Day sure was a lot of fun. What do you say we run it back, Orioles?
After the always-annoying off day in the schedule following the opener, the Birds will take the field for the second time this 2024 season, looking to lay another trouncing on the Angels at Camden Yards. It’ll be hard for anyone to top Corbin Burnes’ incredible Opening Day performance, but if there’s one other O’s hurler who has the kind of stuff to dominate hitters in a similar way, it’s Grayson Rodriguez.
The hard-throwing right-hander was a revelation in the second half of his rookie season, posting a 2.58 ERA and just a .590 opponents’ OPS in 13 starts after his minor league reset. The last time he took the mound, though, was a disastrous ALDS outing against the Rangers in which he coughed up five runs in less than two innings. There’s little doubt that the ultra-competitive Rodriguez has been itching to get back onto a mound to redeem himself from that debacle.
After facing southpaw Patrick Sandoval in the opener, the Orioles will take on a right-hander, Griffin Canning, for the first time. Ryan O’Hearn will make his first start, at the expense of Jorge Mateo, but the other eight hitters are the same as Opening Day (with Jordan Westburg shifting to second base instead of DH). Colton Cowser will need to wait at least another day for his first start. So will Tony Kemp, but, well, who cares. (Sorry, Tony.) Meanwhile, the Angels are using the exact same lineup as Opening Day, which hopefully will meet with the same lack of success.
Orioles lineup:
SS Gunnar Henderson
C Adley Rutschman
RF Anthony Santander
1B Ryan Mountcastle
DH Ryan O’Hearn
LF Austin Hays
CF Cedric Mullins
2B Jordan Westburg
3B Ramón Urías
RHP Grayson Rodriguez
Angels lineup:
3B Anthony Rendon
RF Aaron Hicks
CF Mike Trout
LF Taylor Ward
2B Brandon Drury
1B Nolan Schanuel
DH Miguel Sanó
C Logan O’Hoppe
SS Zach Neto
RHP Griffin Canning