As “Hell Month” continues, the Orioles now are faced with maybe their toughest test of June: a three-game series against the New York Yankees in the Bronx.
This is going to be a very exciting series for a few reasons. First, the separation between these two teams is now just 1.5 games, giving the O’s a chance to leave atop the AL East.
Another reason for the excitement is the series pitching match-ups. Game one kicks this series off with Albert Suárez (3-0, 1.61 ERA) vs. Nestor Cortes (3-5, 3.59 ERA). Game two will be a game of firsts, as Cade Povich (0-1, 4.76 ERA) makes his first AL East start against Gerrit Cole (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who will be making his season debut. Game three will wrap up the series with Cole Irvin (6-3, 3.03 ERA) facing off against Luis Gil (9-1, 2.03 ERA).
Roster Moves
Prior to the start of this series, the Birds claimed right-hander Nick Avila off release waivers from the San Francisco Giants.
The O’s optioned Avila to Triple-A Norfolk and placed him on the minor league injured list with a shoulder impingement. The organization had an open spot on their 40-man roster after waiving right-hander Corbin Martin last week. They’ll use that to stash the Long Beach State product in Norfolk while he rehabs.
Avila, who turns 27 in July, reached the majors in early April, where he allowed 12 runs (11 earned) through his first 11.2 big league frames, though he fanned 14 hitters against three walks. He last pitched for the Giants’ Triple-A club on May 29.
BATTERY ❌️-FACTOR
This series is going to be a tough one, but it’s certainly winnable. Our BATTERY ❌️-FACTOR is about how the O’s offense will find success if they can make these three Yankee starters uncomfortable.
Similar to how the offense kept Zack Wheeler uncomfortable with long at-bats and being picky with pitches to hit, which led to hard contact, the same needs to happen here. We know the struggles that have come against Cortes, and it is no secret that Gil has been one of the most efficient pitchers this season.
Especially with Cole making his first start of the season, not letting any of these three arms get in any kind of rhythm with their sold-out stadium behind them will be key. Knock them out of the game before they can even get it started.
GAME 1 STARTING LINEUP
This AL East rivalry series will begin Tuesday evening at 7:05 p.m. EST, with games two and three set for 7:05 and 4:05 p.m. EST, respectively. You can catch each game on MASN, or on your local Orioles Radio Network station.
How do you feel going into this series? 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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