Gunnar Henderson did not return for his first eligible day after all.
Through their first six games, the Orioles have alternated between scoring a bunch of runs and winning games, and scoring not many runs and losing them. If they are going to continue this pattern one more day, today is the day for scoring a bunch of runs.
This day had been circled on the calendar for being the earliest day where the injured Gunnar Henderson is eligible to return from the 10-day injured list. However, he has not made it after all. The Orioles decided to give Henderson a full day to rest and travel after his minor league rehab assignment, rather than rush him into a day game in Baltimore after he played at night in Norfolk yesterday. That seems sensible to me.
Manager Brandon Hyde said Henderson is “probable” to be activated tomorrow for the start of the team’s series in Kansas City. So, the Orioles will have to score a bunch of runs without him, just like they did in games 1, 3, and 5.
Probably going to have a better chance of scoring some runs now that they’re not going up against the budding ace-level Garrett Crochet. Also a better chance because the team’s best active hitters are back in there now that it’s a Sox righty starting pitcher – no Ramón Laureano, Jorge Mateo, or Gary Sánchez to be found here. Playing the platoon advantage flopped on Wednesday night.
Orioles lineup
- Cedric Mullins – CF
- Adley Rutschman – C
- Jordan Westburg – 2B
- Ryan O’Hearn – 1B
- Tyler O’Neill – DH
- Heston Kjerstad – RF
- Jackson Holliday – SS
- Ramón Urías – 3B
- Dylan Carlson – LF
Also an important element to getting back in the win column for Thursday will be starting pitcher Charlie Morton. The 41-year-old – seriously, he’s literally one day younger than me – was no good in his first start. That doesn’t mean the signing was a bust, and it won’t be a bust if he stinks again today too, but there won’t be many fans feeling good about it if Morton doesn’t do something to start writing a different narrative today.
Red Sox lineup
- Jarren Duran – LF
- Rafael Devers – DH
- Alex Bregman – 3B
- Triston Casas – 1B
- Trevor Story – SS
- Wilyer Abreu – RF
- Kristian Campblel – 2B
- Omar Narváez – C
- Ceddanne Rafaela – CF
Large chunks of this Red Sox lineup have been bad over the first week of their season. The focal point for that is Devers, who was 0-for until getting two hits last night and who has struck out a ton of times. It would have been nice to keep that .000 rolling all through this series, but alas, Orioles pitching couldn’t manage it.
It’s Tanner Houck making the start for Boston today. He was not good in his first outing of the year. Let’s have that continue.