After a much-needed comeback victory last night, the O’s aim for a series win in Toronto.
Even if it doesn’t feel like the Orioles have been playing first-place caliber baseball of late, they once again have a chance to take sole possession of the AL East lead tonight.
After slipping into second place on Tuesday, the Birds evened things back up with the Yankees last night with their impressive 7-3 comeback win over the Jays. It was the Birds’ first win since May 25 when trailing after six innings. And with the Yanks splitting a doubleheader against the Angels, both Baltimore and New York have 68-47 records. If the Orioles can secure the series win tonight and the Yanks lose, the O’s will once again be alone in first.
To do that, the Orioles will need to play better defense behind Dean Kremer than they have in his last two starts. Two starts ago against the Padres, Kremer pitched well — six innings, one earned run — but was saddled with three unearned runs due to a comedy of errors, including Gunnar Henderson and Ramón Urías crashing into each other on a routine pop-up. In Kremer’s most recent outing in Cleveland, the O’s weren’t charged with any errors, but there were a couple of plays the defense probably should have made, including a gift two-run single that fell between two fielders.
With that in mind, Brandon Hyde is giving a day off to struggling rookie Coby Mayo, who made a couple of misplays at third base last night that cost the Orioles some early runs. Urías gets the start at third, not that he’s been great defensively, either (see the previous paragraph). Cedric Mullins will also get his first start of the series, though that won’t push Ryan O’Hearn out of the outfield (he’s starting in right, with Anthony Santander DH’ing).
The Birds will face former Oriole Kevin Gausman, who has had some great years since leaving Baltimore. This isn’t one of them. Gausman has an 89 ERA+ and has 8.6 K/9 rate is his worst since 2018, when the O’s traded him. Historically, Santander has crushed him — three homers in 15 at-bats — but he’s held Adley Rutschman (4-for-18) and Gunnar Henderson (3-for-15) in check. He’s never faced Jackson Holliday, who will be seeking his fourth straight game with a home run.
Orioles lineup:
LF Colton Cowser
DH Anthony Santander
SS Gunnar Henderson
RF Ryan O’Hearn
C Adley Rutschman
1B Ryan Mountcastle
2B Jackson Holliday
CF Cedric Mullins
3B Ramón Urías
RHP Dean Kremer
Blue Jays lineup:
DH George Springer
CF Daulton Varsho
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
2B Spencer Horwitz
C Alejandro Kirk
LF Joey Loperfido
3B Ernie Clement
RF Addison Barger
SS Leo Jiménez
RHP Kevin Gausman