The Orioles aren’t seriously about to get swept twice in a row, are they?
Remember when the Orioles went 106 series in a row without getting swept? How quaint.
They’re now on the verge of getting swept for the second consecutive series, needing a win against the Guardians tonight to avoid the same ignominious fate that befell them in Houston. A defeat would also hand them their first six-game losing streak since May 2022, just before Adley Rutschman debuted in the majors and turned the whole franchise around.
The Orioles’ offense has been wildly erratic during this skid, bookending the losing streak with an 11-run performance last Friday in Houston and eight runs in last night’s loss, but totaling just four runs in the other three defeats combined. Still, the main culprit in the Orioles’ recent failings is their injury-ravaged starting rotation, which is clearly showing its lack of depth. The O’s have gone eight consecutive games without a quality start.
Grayson Rodriguez is one pitcher who failed to deliver in his last start, getting torched for seven runs in five innings against the Astros, inflating his season ERA by 62 points. Still, he has the talent to twirl a dominant outing at any time, so why not tonight? This will be his second career start against the Guardians; he allowed two runs in five innings against them last Sept. 21.
Cleveland will counter with veteran righty Carlos Carrasco, who’s slogging through a rough 2024 season so far. The O’s offense will look to do to him what they did to Logan Allen a night ago, and hopefully make a laugher of things before having to deal with the impressive Guardians bullpen. Carrasco has faced the Orioles seven times in his career but not since 2018, so he’s never pitched to this particular group of Birds hitters. Heston Kjerstad is back in the O’s lineup after his impressive return to the majors in Monday’s game.
Orioles lineup
SS Gunnar Henderson
C Adley Rutschman
DH Ryan O’Hearn
1B Ryan Mountcastle
RF Anthony Santander
3B Jordan Westburg
LF Heston Kjerstad
CF Cedric Mullins
2B Jorge Mateo
RHP Grayson Rodriguez
Guardians lineup
LF Steven Kwan
2B Andrés Giménez
DH José Ramirez
RF Daniel Schneeman
CF Tyler Freeman
1B Jhonkensy Noel (MLB debut)
3B Gabriel Arias
SS Brayan Rocchio
C Austin Hedges
RHP Carlos Carrasco