The Orioles are unbeaten in Zach Eflin starts since he joined the team. Keep it rolling today.
In addition to their narrow half-game lead atop the American League East, the Orioles come into Saturday afternoon’s game against the Rays with a magic number of 11 to clinch anything at all. We’ll have an idea of possible movement for the East standings not long after this game gets under way, because the Yankees are in action against the Cubs starting at 2:20.
The best thing that the Orioles can do to increase their lead and decrease the magic numbers is keep on winning. So far in September, that’s what they’re doing. After two straight losing months, the O’s have started the season’s final month with a 4-1 record. It’s a nice start. Of course, it helps that the one full series they’ve completed so far was against the MLB-worst White Sox.
The Rays are a tougher task. The Orioles proved up to beating the Rays with Friday’s 2-0 victory, thanks to Dean Kremer’s six no-hit innings, Yennier Cano pulling a rabbit out of his hat in the seventh inning, and just enough offense to get the job done. The O’s turn today to Zach Eflin. They’ve yet to lose a game out of the five that Eflin has started for the team, and he’s been pitching great. Does he have the edge against his former team here, or is their familiarity with him going to prove to be better?
Being the way that I am, I assume Eflin is due for a clunker and I’ll be expecting that every time until he actually delivers one. What I’ve found most impressive about him as an Oriole so far is that he really doesn’t walk many dudes. That career-long trend didn’t suddenly flip around when the O’s acquired him. Eflin has walked three batters in 32.1 innings as an Oriole.
Orioles lineup
- Gunnar Henderson – SS
- Adley Rutschman – DH
- Ryan O’Hearn – 1B
- Anthony Santander – RF
- Colton Cowser – LF
- Cedric Mullins – CF
- Jackson Holliday – 2B
- Emmanuel Rivera – 3B
- James McCann – C
To all the Coby Mayo fans out there who don’t know why he’s not playing, I feel you. I don’t get it. Today’s Rays pitcher is a righty, Ryan Pepiot, so whatever, but also, just like… play him. Is Rivera really better? Maybe he is, at least where they are right now. Rivera made a nice defensive save last night in leaping to catch a throw during a steal attempt that could have sailed into the outfield and changed the makeup of the ninth inning.
Rays lineup
- Yandy Díaz – DH
- Jonathan Aranda – 2B
- Junior Caminero – 3B
- Josh Lowe – RF
- Jonny DeLuca – LF
- Logan Driscoll – C
- José Siri – CF
- Taylor Walls – SS
- Austin Shenton – 1B