It could be an eventful Sunday as the Orioles play their last home regular season game with a chance to clinch a playoff spot.
Right on the doorstop of a playoff spot, the Orioles finished just short last night. Rookie Cade Povich pitched pretty well, but the team couldn’t cash in on scoring chances and they fell, instead, in extras. But today will be the day they clinch if they can beat the Tigers and the Mariners lose in Texas (first pitch out of Arlington is 2:35 ET).
Good news: the Orioles’ soggy September offense is getting a shot in the arm with the return to the lineup of infielders Jordan Westburg, who was hitting .269/.317/.497 with 18 home runs and 58 RBIs in 101 games when he was hit on the hand on July 31, and Ramón Urías, who was carrying the team at the plate when went down with an ankle sprain on August 31. The two completed their rehab assignments at Triple-A Norfolk last night and have been reinstated in time for today’s afternoon game.
Westburg is playing second base and batting second, and Urías is playing third base and batting eighth. Heston Kjerstad is the designated hitter and Cedric Mullins has avoided the injured list with a sore neck for now, batting ninth and playing center field.
Detroit announcer their opener just two hours before today’s day game. It’s Tyler Holton, who started Friday and threw one inning, allowing two hits, including a two-run homer to Anthony Santander.
Albert Suárez, 8-6 with a 3.60 ERA and 1.321 WHIP for the Orioles in 22 starts, has been a fun story this season, but he’s been inconsistent in September so far. This month, he’s got two good starts—two runs in seven innings in Colorado and one run in six innings in Boston—and two bad—six runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings against the lowly White Sox and four runs in 3 1/3 innings against the Giants. Will the good Suárez come to the ballpark today as he team tries to clinch a playoff spot? Let’s hope. Suárez has never faced the Tigers.
[FYI: If you’re headed to the game today, make sure to plan ahead: the Orioles issued a traffic advisory in response to a large fire at South Lombard and Eutaw streets near Camden Yards on Sunday morning.]
Fans should use caution and allot for increased traffic in the downtown area if heading to this afternoon’s game. pic.twitter.com/1kxqOrGCIx
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 22, 2024
Orioles lineup
Gunnar Henderson SS (L)
Jordan Westburg 2B (R)
Anthony Santander RF (S)
Colton Cowser LF (L)
Adley Rutschman C (S)
Ryan O’Hearn 1B (L)
Heston Kjerstad DH (L)
Ramón Urías 3B (R)
Cedric Mullins CF (L)
Albert Suárez RHP
Tigers lineup
Parker Meadows CF (L)
Kerry Carpenter RF (L)
Matt Vierling LF (R)
Riley Greene DH (L)
Colt Keith 2B (L)
Spencer Torkelson 1B (R)
Jace Jung 3B (L)
Trey Sweeney SS (L)
Jake Rogers C (R)
Tyler Holton LHP