The Orioles return to the cozy confines of Camden Yards after a 2-3 road trip. Though they split their series with the Rays, the Orioles had a tougher road trip than expected.
The Orioles, who are 22-13 at home, will welcome the Seattle Mariners to town, who have a 15-20 road record. The Birds will try to turn things around with the Mariners, as they went 2-4 last season against the AL West foe.
The Orioles as a team are hitting .254 and are scoring a weaving 4.93 runs per game, which ranks as eighth best in the majors. On the flip side, their pitching staff has a 4.20 ERA.
The Mariners come into the series with an offense batting .227, second worst in the AL. They are at the bottom of most offensive categories and struggle to gain any consistent production. Their pitching holds a 3.85 ERA, which is the ninth best staff in the majors.
Where the Orioles have five relievers who have thrown 30+ innings, the Mariners bullpen has no pitcher who has reached that mark.
Kyle Gibson will serve as the starter to open the series. The veteran righty is sporting a 3.53 ERA at home and averages just under six innings per start on the season. He will be followed by Dean Kremer and a TBD pitcher, though it is Kyle Bradish’s turn in the rotation, to close out the series.
For the Mariners, they will send Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller and George Kirby to close out the series.
ROSTER MOVES
Prior to the start of this series, it has been reported that the Houston Astros are acquiring right-hander Spenser Watkins from the Orioles in exchange for cash considerations.
Watkins had been designated for assignment by the O’s earlier this week. In 39 games for Baltimore, Watkins was 7-13 with a 5.85 ERA and 1.513 WHIP.
BATTERY ❌-FACTOR
For the series against the Mariners, the Orioles bullpen, mainly the middle relief, will be the BATTERY ❌-FACTOR.
There is no doubt that the Orioles’ back end of the bullpen is the strongest and most efficient. The problem is getting from the starters to the back end.
Against the Rays, the O’s bullpen posted an ERA of 9.00 and almost cost the Birds the first game. The bullpen has struggled since the Royals series and has made some difficult times bridging the gap from the starters to Danny Coulombe, Yennier Canó and Félix Bautista.
Overall, the bullpen holds a 3.68 ERA (eighth in baseball) but possesses a WHIP of 1.35 and has walked 115 batters (both 20th in the majors). They have allowed 249 hits, which ranks 15th across the league.
For the Orioles to win this series, the bullpen will have to tighten up and perform better than they have the last four series. The pen will be the difference in the series for the Birds.
GAME 1 STARTING LINEUPS
Seattle Mariners (36-37): Managed by Scott Servais
1. Jarred Kelenic LF
2. Julio Rodríguez CF
3. Ty France 1B
4. Teoscar Hernández RF
5. Cal Raleigh DH
6. Eugenio Suárez 3B
7. Kolten Wong 2B
8. Tom Murphy C
9. José Caballero SS
SP. Logan Gilbert RHP (4-4, 4.31 ERA)
Baltimore Orioles (45-28): Managed by Brandon Hyde
1. Gunnar Henderson DH
2. Adley Rutschman C
3. Anthony Santander RF
4. Ryan O’Hearn 1B
5. Austin Hays LF
6. Aaron Hicks CF
7. Adam Frazier 2B
8. Ramón Urías 3B
9. Jorge Mateo SS
SP. Kyle Gibson RHP (8-4, 3.94 ERA)
Game one is slated to start at 7:05 p.m. EST tonight. Game two is scheduled for 4:05 p.m., with game three set for a 1:35 p.m. start.
Will the Birds protect the Nest and hold the Mariners at bay? Tune in tonight on MASN or on your local Orioles Radio Network station.
How do you see this series playing out? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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