From the cozy confines of The Nest, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the O’s just completed a 6-3 homestand. Now, they head out West to take on another surprise team in the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Diamondbacks are currently on a three-game losing streak but remain only a game back of the final NL Wild Card spot. They will welcome the Orioles, who have the best record in the AL and maintain a 1.5 game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays.
This West Coast swing will kick off the final full month of the season, as the Birds will play in 28 of the 30 days in September. This is the first meeting between the O’s and the D-backs since 2019 when Arizona won two of three in Phoenix.
The Orioles will send Coke Irvin (1-3, 4.78 ERA), Kyle Bradish (9-6, 3.03 ERA) and Jack Flaherty (8-8, 4.73 ERA) to the mound for the series. Arizona will counter with Zach Davies (1-5, 6.93 ERA), Slade Cecconi (0-0, 2.57 ERA) and Zac Gallen (14-6, 3.32 ERA) for the series.
ROSTER MOVES
As rosters now expand to 28, the Orioles have made their September call-ups official, recalling outfielder Colton Cowser and right-hander Joey Krehbiel from Triple-A Norfolk.
Cowser struggled in his brief stint with the big league club earlier this season, hitting just .115/.286/.148 in 26 games played. He totaled just seven hits with four RBIs and one stolen base in that span, walking 13 times and striking out 22.
Krehbiel had a cup of coffee with the big league club this season, only appearing in two games. In 1.2 innings pitched, the 30-year-old righty hasn’t given up a hit, run or walk, striking out two.
BATTERY ❌-FACTOR
One of the hottest hitters in baseball has been Anthony Santander. His bat was a catalyst of the Orioles’ offense throughout August, and it is why he is being picked as the BATTERY ❌-FACTOR for this series.
In August, Santander slashed .276/.333/.598 with eight home runs and 21 RBIs while scoring 14 runs in 23 games for the month. For that to translate into the final stretch of the regular season will be crucial for the Birds.
In order for the Orioles to take the series in the desert and start September off on the right foot, the switch-hitting Santander will need to continue his offensive outburst to set the tone and the stage.
The first game of the series is slated to begin at 9:40 p.m. EST, with Saturday’s game receiving an 8:10 p.m. EST start time and Sunday’s game slated for 4:10 p.m. EST.
Will the Birds keep the Diamondbacks losing streak going? Tune in to MASN2 or your local Orioles Radio Network station to watch the O’s in action.
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!
Represent The Baltimore Battery and show off your fandom with our official merchandise! Reasonably-priced attire made just for you! Visit our official shop site by clicking here!
Like Stephen’s content? Follow him on X – @SRJHeckman, and listen to the official podcast of The Baltimore Battery, The Final Strike, anywhere you get your podcasts!
THE BALTIMORE BATTERY 
Leave a comment