After an even 3-3 road trip to start the season, the Orioles are finally returning home to Oriole Park Camden Yards.
This year’s home opener festivities will be a little sweeter, as Adley Rutschman, Grayson Rodriguez, Gunnar Henderson, Terrin Vavra and Kyle Stowers will run down the orange carpet for the first time.
Who more appropriate to visit Baltimore in the opener than the division rival New York Yankees?
If the Orioles are serious about winning this season, it will have to come by being able to beat this Yankees club. Luckily for the O’s, the new schedule format means these two teams will meet up 13 times, instead of 19, throughout the season.
The Yankees have been the biggest thorn in Brandon Hyde’s side during his time as manager. Of the 21 series between the O’s and Yanks since 2019, the Orioles have only won the series five times.
Getting off to a hot start against the Yankees will prove to be a good momentum swing as well. Behind the bat of Adley Rutschman, the offense has the firepower to keep up with the Evil Empire, whose lineup is predominantly right-handed (We’re talking to you Mount Waltimore).
Starting on the mound in this series for the Birds will be Dean Kremer, Cole Irvin and a to be determined starter for game three. New York will counter with Clarke Schmidt, Nestor Cortes and Domingo Germán.
BATTERY ❌️-FACTOR
The BATTERY ❌️-FACTOR for this home opening series is the O’s bullpen.
The pen was saved by heroic efforts from both Tyler Wells and Kyle Gibson in the last series against Texas. Because of those two outings, the O’s bullpen should be in a good spot after the impromptu day off before this series beginning.
Helping to silence the Yankee big bats will help when the Orioles’ offense will be seeing a lot of really good pitchers on New York’s staff themselves.
These three games will really fall on the shoulders of the bullpen. Kremer and Irvin both weren’t great in their first starts, and in case they need another outing to try and settle in, the bullpen will need to step up.
GAME 1 STARTING LINEUPS
New York Yankees (4-2): Managed by Aaron Boone
1. DJ LeMahieu 3B
2. Aaron Judge CF
3. Anthony Rizzo 1B
4. Giancarlo Stanton DH
5. Gleyber Torres 2B
6. Oswaldo Cabrera LF
7. Jose Trevino C
8. Franchy Cordero RF
9. Anthony Volpe SS
SP. Clarke Schmidt RHP (0-0, 8.10 ERA)
Baltimore Orioles (3-3): Managed by Brandon Hyde
1. Cedric Mullins CF
2. Adley Rutschman C
3. Anthony Santander RF
4. Ryan Mountcastle 1B
5. Gunnar Henderson DH
6. Ramón Urías 3B
7. Adam Frazier 2B
8. Austin Hays LF
9. Jorge Mateo SS
SP. Dean Kremer RHP (0-0, 15.00 ERA)
This series will begin Friday at 3:05 p.m. EST. You can catch each game on MASN or on your local Orioles Radio Network station.
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