On Wednesday, March 27, David Rubenstein was officially voted in as the principal owner of the Baltimore Orioles. A day later, a new season begins, ushering in a new era of Orioles baseball.
Opening Day is here, and Cal Ripken Jr. will catch the first pitch, a moment of silence will be had for the Francis Scott Key Bridge victims and the Mo Gaba Fan of the Year, nine-year-old Carter, will be recognized.
The Birds of 2024 will make their way down the orange carpet, fans will grab their Natty Boh and the start of another exciting season of baseball in Charm City will begin.
Reigning AL Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson and team leader and All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman are ready to lead this new era into one of the most exciting seasons in Orioles baseball history.
Newly-acquired ace Corbin Burnes will make his regular season debut for the Birds as they host the Los Angeles Angels for a three-game opening series at Orioles Park at Camden Yards.
Burnes was, of course, acquired in the offseason from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for infielder Joey Ortiz and left-hander D.L. Hall. He will be followed by two TBD pitchers, though it’s was announced that Grayson Rodriguez and Tyler Wells would follow in the rotation.
For the Angels, they will trot out lefty Patrick Sandoval to start the post-Ohtani era for Los Angeles. Their games two and three starters also are to be determined.
ROSTER MOVES
Prior to today’s game, the Orioles made a series of roster moves.
- Recalled LHP Nick Vespi from Triple-A Norfolk
- Placed RHP Jacob Webb on paternity list
- Placed both RHP Kyle Bradish and LHP John Means on the 15-day injured list
- Designated OF Ryan McKenna and INF Tyler Nevin for assignment
- Placed C Michael Pérez on the major league taxi squad
THE BATTERY ❌️-FACTOR
This season, the Orioles have more attention on them than they have in quite some time. Expectations from Birdland remain high, and it’s that reason that the first Battery ❌-FACTOR for 2024 will be how the Orioles as a team respond to the heightened expectations from the fans in this opening series.
Most of the team from last season is returning after a 101-win AL East Title year. They will not sneak up on teams this season and will need to use last season’s experience to take the next step to becoming a true World Series contender.
The first step is winning this first series against an Angels team that still has Mike Trout, a returning Aaron Hicks to Charm City and a revamped bullpen.
OPENING DAY STARTING LINEUPS
Los Angeles Angels ~ Managed by Ron Washington:
1. Anthony Rendon 3B
2. Aaron Hicks RF
3. Mike Trout CF
4. Taylor Ward LF
5. Brandon Drury 2B
6. Nolan Schanuel 1B
7. Miguel Sanó DH
8. Logan O’Hoppe C
9. Zach Neto SS
SP. Patrick Sandoval LHP
Baltimore Orioles ~ Managed by Brandon Hyde:
1. Gunnar Henderson SS
2. Adley Rutschman C
3. Ryan Mountcastle 1B
4. Anthony Santander RF
5. Austin Hays LF
6. Jordan Westburg DH
7. Cedric Mullins CF
8. Ramón Urías 3B
9. Jorge Mateo 2B
SP. Corbin Burnes RHP
First pitch is slated for 3:05 p.m. EST, with opening ceremonies scheduled to begin at 2:20 p.m. EST on MASN, all weather permitting.
We’ve made it, Birdland. Orioles baseball is back.
How do you see this opening 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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