Fresh off a series win that felt like a postseason showdown, the Orioles are taking flight to San Diego. They will meet All-Star, Manny Machado, and the Padres for a three-game interleague set.
This is a series that holds big importance for both teams. The Orioles are trying to maintain their lead in the AL East while the Padres are running out of time to climb into Wild Card position.
One of the biggest differences between these two teams is one-run and extra-inning games. The Orioles, after two extra-inning wins in Seattle, are 8-5 in extras while improving to 22-11 in one-run games.
On the other hand, the Padres, who lost 5-4 to Arizona on Sunday, fell to 6-19 in one-run affairs and are 0-10 in extra-inning games.
The Orioles will send Grayson Rodriguez (2-3 5.83 ERA) to the mound to open the series. The former top pitching prospect has a 3.53 ERA since his return to the big league club. Rodriguez will be followed by Jack Flaherty (8-7, 4.33 ERA/1-1, 3.27 ERA with Orioles) and Dean Kremer (11-4, 4.50 ERA) to close out the series.
The Padres will open the series with Yu Darvish (8-7, 4.19 ERA), who will be followed by Michael Wacha (8-2, 2.84 ERA) and a pitcher to be determined for the final game.
ROSTER MOVES
Prior to the start of this series, the Orioles made a roster move.
The club has reinstated outfielder Aaron Hicks from the 10-day injured list and has optioned rookie outfielder Colton Cowser to Triple-A Norfolk.
A hamstring injury cost Hicks the last three weeks of action, but after playing in a pair of rehab games, he is ready to return to action. Before his injury, Hicks slashed .252/.349/.435 with six home runs and 20 RBIs in 42 games with Baltimore.
Cowser, the O’s No. 2 prospect, struggled to find consistency in his offensive game with the big league club. In 26 games, the 23-year-old hit just .115/.286/.148 with seven total hits and just four RBIs.
BATTERY ❌-FACTOR
The San Diego Padres are in near desperation mode with only 44 games left. They have a lineup on paper that is one of the most dangerous in baseball, with a combination of power, speed and ability to hit for average.
Because of the ability for the Padres to break out and be an offensive juggernaut, the Orioles’ starting pitching will be the key to this series and is, therefore, the BATTERY ❌-FACTOR.
Since July 1, the O’s starters rank fifth in baseball with a 3.70 ERA and are 11th with a 3.0 WAR. Rodriguez, Flaherty and Kremer will need to be on top of their game if they are going to lead the Orioles to a series victory.
GAME 1 STARTING LINEUP
The first two games of this series are set for 9:40 p.m. EST, with the final game set for an 8:40 p.m. EST start time.
Will the Orioles dampen the San Diego’s postseason chances, or will the Padres slow the Birds down? It all starts tonight, so be sure to tune in to your local Orioles Radio Network station or MASN to watch the Birds fly.
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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