The Orioles worked their way to a split with their AL East rival, the New York Yankees. It was a series of two different teams as the first two games showed a team struggling, with the last two showing the potential this Orioles team possesses.
Colton Cowser joined Jordan Westburg as the newest position player to join the frey this season. Add in the recent additions of Nick Vespi and Eduard Bazardo to the bullpen, and this is a younger, hungrier, more dangerous squad. And by the way, they were already led by young stars Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman.
This collection of “Young Guns” is serving notice and did so on one of the biggest stages in the Bronx. Now, their focus will turn to the Minnesota Twins, who just took two of three games against the O’s in a series last weekend in Baltimore.
Opening the series on the mound for the Birds will be left-hander Cole Irvin, who has yet to pitch more than 5.1 innings in a start since his return, though he has allowed only one run in four of his five outings. “Swirvin’ Irvin” will be followed by Tyler Wells and Kyle Gibson to close out the series and the first half of the 2023 season.
For the Twins, Bailey Ober, Sonny Gray and Joe Ryan will take the mound in the series. The O’s saw both Ober and Gray in the series at Camden Yards but will see Ryan for the first and only time this season.
ROSTER MOVES
It was announced prior to the series that right-hander Chris Vallimont, who was designated for assignment earlier this week by the Orioles, was traded to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for cash considerations.
Also, Austin Hays, who was announced earlier today as a starter for the All-Star Game in Seattle, worked through his usual pre-game work this afternoon and felt good. Hays said he is available off the bench tonight and feels he could start tomorrow.
BATTERY ❌-FACTOR
Once again, this series can have a handful of different people/groups to pick from when it comes to our BATTERY ❌️-FACTOR. But this series is going to hinge on the “Young Guns.”
Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg have shown the ability to change and control the outcome of a game. Now that all four are together and showed off in New York, it will be up to these four to dictate the series and be the tipping point in the Orioles’ favor.
Gunnar and Adley both have been on hot streaks over the past week, while Cowser and Westburg provided a spark the O’s lineup needed after struggling to score runs over an extended period of time.
GAME 1 STARTING LINEUPS
Baltimore Orioles (51-35): Managed by Brandon Hyde
1. Gunnar Henderson 3B
2. Anthony Santander RF
3. Ryan O’Hearn DH
4. Cedric Mullins CF
5. Jordan Westburg 2B
6. Colton Cowser LF
7. Ramón Urías 1B
8. James McCann C
9. Jorge Mateo SS
SP. Cole Irvin LHP (1-3, 6.32 ERA)
Minnesota Twins (45-43): Managed by Rocco Baldelli
1. Carlos Correa SS
2. Donovan Solano 1B
3. Byron Buxton DH
4. Kyle Farmer 2B
5. Willi Castro LF
6. Jose Miranda 3B
7. Christian Vazquez C
8. Max Kepler RF
9. Michael A. Taylor CF
SP. Bailey Ober RHP (5-4, 2.70 ERA)
Friday’s series opener will be at 8:10 p.m. EST on Apple TV+, while Saturday and Sunday’s games will be at 2:10 p.m. EST on MASN. You can listen to each game on your local Orioles Radio Network station.
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