After a long weekend with a 3-1 series win for the Orioles against the Rays, the Birds travel to Philadelphia to face the Phillies in a three-game interleague series.
The Orioles enter this series at 61-38 while the Phillies sit at 53-46. Last season, the Phillies made it to the World Series and are known for unlikely comebacks, but will they make any strides against the Orioles? Let’s take a look at the pitching matchups for this series.
MOUND MATCHUPS
Monday 7/24 – 6:40pm: Dean Kremer (BAL) vs. Cristopher Sánchez (PHI)
In the first game of this series, Dean Kremer, who sports a 4.80 ERA and 101 strikeouts on the season, will face Cristopher Sánchez, who has a 3.06 ERA and 30 strikeouts.
Tuesday 7/25 – 6:40pm: Kyle Gibson (BAL) vs. Taijuan Walker (PHI)
Kyle Gibson, 4.76 ERA and 98 strikeouts, will take the mound against his former team and their new addition, Taijuan Walker, who has 4.11 ERA and 94 strikeouts.
Wednesday 7/26 – 6:05pm: Kyle Bradish (BAL) vs. Ranger Suárez (PHI)
For the last matchup of the series, Kyle Bradish, who has a 3.05 ERA and 92 strikeouts, will face Ranger Suárez, a crafty lefty with a 4.07 ERA and 67 strikeouts.
BATTERY ❌-FACTOR
The Orioles are holding strong at two games ahead in the AL East, while the Phillies are attempting to stay within an NL Wild Card spot.
In the last few weeks, the Phillies have been able to use Bryce Harper as a designated hitter after a short recovery from Tommy John surgery. In their last series, they were using him at first base.
Among Harper in their lineup, the Phillies have a few other powerhouse hitters who will be batting on their home dirt. Without Cedric Mullins in center field, Aaron Hicks will likely continue taking his place and has proved that he has the capability to track long fly balls.
With the Phillies ability to hit deep and have players who will take an extra base, the series will lean towards the Orioles defense. Their ability to field long balls and double plays will be the BATTERY ❌-FACTOR.
GAME 1 STARTING LINEUP
Will the Orioles keep their first place throne or be knocked down by the Phillies on their search to stay in postseason contention? Tune in to MASN or your local Orioles Radio Network station to cheer on the Birds.
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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