For the first time since October of 2014, the Baltimore Orioles are hosting a postseason series.
This time as the top American League team and AL East division winner, the Orioles will welcome the Texas Rangers, who swept the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Wild Card series, to Oriole Park at Camden Yards to start the 2023 American League Division Series.
This is not just your average run of the mill series. The Orioles possess talent from top to bottom, which makes any opposing team’s pitching frustrated. They can beat you with patience at the plate, the long ball or even small ball.
What makes them so dangerous is their “never say die” attitude that led to 48 come-from-behind victories (tied for MLB lead). To counter that, the Birds had only 27 losses where they blew a lead (tied for the fewest in MLB). The Texas Rangers, on the other hand, are a team that was in the top five in most offensive categories and can power past a lot of teams with ease.
During the regular season, the Orioles and Rangers split their season series, with both teams taking two of three games at the opposing team’s home park.
The Orioles will open the series with staff ace Kyle Bradish (12-7), who finished in the top five in ERA (2.83) and WHIP (1.09), holding opponents to a .215 batting average (seventh).
Bradish will be followed by star rookie, Grayson Rodriguez (7-4, 4.35 ERA), who posted a 5-2 record with a 2.66 ERA since his return in July, while holding opponents to a .222 batting average and a 1.10 WHIP.
The Rangers will counter with two left-handers in Andrew Heaney (10-6, 4.15 ERA) in game one and trade deadline acquisition Jordan Montgomery (10-11, 3.20 ERA) in game two.
BATTERY ❌-FACTOR
It’s the postseason, and in the playoffs, every play, pitch and hit has some type of pressure behind it. The atmosphere is electric and exciting, and the nation is watching through a microscope.
It is for this reason that the first ever postseason BATTERY ❌-FACTOR will be the Orioles’ ability to respond to the spotlight.
This is the first time most the team has been in the postseason, but the unity and brotherhood built from this long 2023 season could be what helps propel this young team to the American League Championship Series.
It will be important for team leaders like Adley Rutschman and Kyle Gibson to keep the team focused, while superstars like Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Santander set the tone for the team.
The first game of the ALDS is slated to start Saturday at 1:03 p.m. EST (FS1), with Sunday’s game two at 4:07 p.m. EST (FS1). Game three in Arlington has a start time of 8:03 p.m. EST and will be televised on FOX.
If necessary, game four would start at 7:07 p.m. EST, and a game five in Baltimore would start at 8:03 p.m. EST, with both games airing on FS1.
The broadcast team for the 2023 ALDS will be Joe Davis, John Smoltz and Ken Rosenthal. The umpiring crew will consist of Alfonso Márquez (CC), Lance Barrett, John Libka, Cory Blaser, Quinn Wolcott and Nic Lentz.
If you’re attending game one, parking will open at 9:30 a.m. EST, with gates opening at 10:30 a.m. EST. The Orioles will welcome O’s legend Adam Jones to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and the National Anthem will be performed by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and lifelong O’s fan, Joan Jett.
Will the young, upstart Orioles take flight and end the Rangers’ run, or will Texas overtake the Orioles as the most exciting team in the AL?
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 (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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