BALTIMORE ORIOLES NOTES:
A SATURDAY SPLIT IN MOTOWN: The Orioles and Tigers split a doubleheader yesterday with Detroit taking game one, 7-4, and Baltimore winning the second game, 6-4…Grayson Rodriguez earned his first MLB win by striking out a career-high nine batters in 5.0 scoreless innings and Ryan McKenna homered and drove in a career-high three runs in game two…Jorge Mateo hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning of game one…Austin Hays had two hits in each game.
At 21 years, 164 days, Rodriguez became the youngest Oriole to throw at least 5.0 scoreless innings with nine-or-more strikeouts since Rocky Coppinger (23-046) threw 6.0 shutout with nine punchouts on May 4, 1997 vs. Oakland, and the youngest to do so on the road since Dave McNally (22-335) tossed a 9.0-inning shutout with 10 strikeouts on October 1, 1965 (G1) at Cleveland.
DL Hall struck out seven batters in relief in the first game, the most by an O’s reliever since Dylan Bundy on July 6, 2016 at Los Angeles-NL (7) and the most by an Orioles left-handed reliever since Bruce Chen on July 4, 2006 at Chicago-AL (7).
SEARCHING FOR SIX: With a win today, Baltimore would secure a sixth consecutive winning series…The Orioles have not won six straight series since July 21 to August 13, 2014.
WHAT’S TRENDING: The O’s have won 10 of their last 12 games, 12 of their last 15, and 14 of their last 18…The 18-9 record is tied for the third-best start to begin a season in team history (since 1954), also done in 1966, 1979, 1985, 1992, and 2005, and trailing only the 19-8 starts in 1969, 1970, and 1997.
Baltimore is tied for the second-best record in the AL with Toronto, trailing only Tampa Bay (23-5); the O’s .667 winning percentage is tied for the third-best in MLB with Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Toronto, and behind Tampa Bay (.821) and Pittsburgh (.714).
Last season, the Birds didn’t reach 18 wins until the 43rd game on May 23.
The 17 wins this month are the most in April in team history (since 1954); the O’s went 17-10 in August last season, the first time the Orioles won 17 games in a month since August of 2017 (17-12).
Baltimore has played 18 consecutive games against teams that do not have a winning record while going 14-4…That trend continues through the Kansas City series next week, though Boston is currently at .500 entering play today.
AGAINST THE TIGERS: Baltimore and Detroit wrap up the seven-game season series with the series finale today at Comerica Park…The Orioles have gone 5-1 in the first six games, the most wins against the Tigers in a one year since 2016 (5-2)…The O’s have not won more than five games in a single season against Detroit since the 2004 club swept the six-game season series…The Birds went 1-5 against Detroit in 2022, including being swept in three games in Motown from May 13-15 while going 1-2 in Baltimore from September 19-21.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The Orioles are 2-1 on their 11-day, 10-game road trip, their longest of the season, which began Thursday night in Detroit…The team plays one more game against the Tigers and have an off day on May 1 before three games at Kansas City from May 2-4 and three games at Atlanta from May 5-7.
ON THE ATTACK: Baltimore is batting .256/.335/.421 (229-for-895) with 46 doubles, three triples, 32 home runs, 142 runs scored, 137 RBI, and 106 walks to start the season…The O’s rank fifth in the AL and seventh in MLB in runs scored after finishing 10th in the AL and 20th in MLB with 674 runs in 2022…The Birds rank among AL teams in walks (1st), on-base percentage (2nd), batting average (4th), OPS (4th, .756), and slugging percentage (T-4th).
The Orioles lead the AL and rank fourth in MLB with 4.03 pitches per plate appearance; the O’s have three players in the top 13 in the AL in pitches per plate appearance: Adley Rutschman (9th, 4.23), Anthony Santander (12th, 4.21), and Gunnar Henderson (13th, 4.20).
HIP HIP JORGE: Jorge Mateo has scored a run in a career-high six straight games, the longest active streak in the AL and second-longest active in MLB, since April 23…He is batting .395/.429/.721 (17-for-43) with five doubles, three homers, 13 runs scored, 11 RBI, three walks, one hit-by-pitch, and five stolen bases in 14 games since April 11… Among MLB players with at least 70 plate appearances this season, Mateo ranks fifth in batting average (.353), eighth in slugging percentage (.647), and ninth in OPS (1.050).
THE CANO SHOW: Yennier Cano tossed a perfect eighth inning in game two last night to break the O’s record (since 1954) of consecutive hitless at-bats to begin a season… He’s now gone 28 straight at-bats without surrendering a hit, the most by an MLB pitcher since Tampa Bay’s Jason Adam and San Diego’s Sean Manaea both opened 2022 with 28 consecutive hitless at-bats…Milwaukee’s Josh Hader did not allow a hit in his first 35 at-bats to begin the 2020 season..Cano tied the team record by setting down the first 24 batters he faced to open 2023, joining Fred Holdsworth who set the record from July 17-24, 1976.
Cano’s sinker has a run value of -5, tied for the 14th-best pitch in MLB this season, per Statcast; the -8.4 run value per 100 pitches on that pitch is the second-best in MLB behind Toronto’s Adam Cimber’s sinker (-8.7).
NEED FOR SPEED: The O’s have 29 stolen bases, tied for third in MLB with the Athletics and behind the Pirates (39 SB) and Guardians (35 SB)…The O’s have been caught stealing five times for an 85.3 percent success rate, tied for fourth in the AL and tied for seventh in MLB…Jorge Mateo and Cedric Mullins are tied with three others for fourth in MLB with 10 stolen bases this season…Mateo and Mullins 20 combined steals are more than 17 MLB teams.
Mullins and Oakland’s Esteury Ruiz are the only MLB players with double-digit steals without being caught; Mullins’ 10 successful stolen bases are the most to begin a season by an Oriole since Brian Roberts and Corey Patterson, who each swiped their first 13 attempts, an O’s record to start a campaign, in 2006.
ROSTER MOVES: Today, the Orioles recalled Kyle Stowers from Triple-A Norfolk… Stowers was slashing .293/.427/.569 (17-for-58) with one double, five homers, 15 runs, 17 RBI, 13 walks, and one stolen base in 17 games with the Tides, including hitting three home runs in a doubleheader at Charlotte on April 28…In a corresponding move, Joey Ortiz was optioned to Norfolk.
STARTING PITCHER – #39 KYLE BRADISH RHP
1-1, 6.30 ERA
QUICK HITS: Scheduled to make his fourth start of the season, second on the road, and first career start against the Tigers today…Made 23 starts in his rookie season with the Orioles in 2022…Went 4-7 with a 4.90 ERA (64 ER/117.2 IP) with 111 strikeouts to 46 walks…Was one of 13 O’s players (7 pitchers) to make their debut in 2022…Started on the bump for Adley Rutschman’s debut on May 21 vs. Tampa Bay…Tossed 16.0 consecutive scoreless innings across four starts from August 26 to September 6…Acquired by the Orioles along with RHP Kyle Brnovich, RHP Zach Peek, and RHP Isaac Mattson from Los Angeles-AL in exchange for RHP Dylan Bundy on December 4, 2019…Originally drafted by the Angels in the fourth round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of New Mexico State…Teammates at NMSU with INF Joey Ortiz.
LAST TIME OUT: Dealt the loss on April 25 vs. Boston, allowing a career-high-tying seven runs (1 HR) on eight hits and four walks with one strikeout in 2.1 innings…Threw 40 pitches in the second inning, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk in the frame…Left with a runner on first base, who was stranded…Threw 81 pitches, 48 strikes.
CAREER AGAINST TIGERS/AL CENTRAL: Making his first career start against the Tigers and third game start against AL Central…Sports an 1-0 career record with a 3.27 ERA (4 ER/11.0 IP) in his two career starts against AL Central…Earned the win in his last outing against AL Central on September 1, 2022 at Cleveland, working 7.0 scoreless innings on two hits and three walks with five strikeouts.
HOME COOKING: Making his first home start of the 2023 season tonight… Owned a 1-5 record with a 5.00 ERA (35 ER/63.0 IP) in 12 starts at Oriole Park in 2022…Earned his first career win at OPACY on September 22 vs. Houston, working a career-high 8.2 scoreless innings on two hits and 10 strikeouts…Has pitched to a 3.03 ERA (10 ER/29.2 IP) with 26 strikeouts in his last five home starts since August 9, 2022.
SAVING HIS BEST FOR THE BEST: Made 14 starts against teams that qualified for the 2022 playoffs in his debut season, going 4-4 with a 4.24
(36 ER/76.1 IP) ERA…The Orioles owned a 9-5 record in those games…He went 2-0 against Houston, tossing 8.0 scoreless innings on August 26 at Minute Maid Park and throwing another 8.2 shutout frames on September 22 at Oriole Park.
DETROIT TIGERS NOTES:
TIGERS-ORIOLES SPLIT SATURDAY TWINBILL: The Tigers and Orioles each won a game in Saturday’s doubleheader with Detroit winning the opener, 7-4, and Baltimore taking the second game, 6-4. In the first game, the Tigers had a season-high 16 hits, led by Matt Vierling, who went 3×4 with a pair of doubles and four RBI, and Zack Short, who was also 3×4 with a solo homer. Akil Baddoo, Riley Greene and Nick Maton each had two hits. Eduardo Rodriguez started for Detroit and picked up his second win, giving up one run on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Alex Lange pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save. In the second game, Tyler Nevin hit a three-run homer, while Miguel Cabrera, Greene, Zach McKinstry and Vierling each had one hit. Matthew Boyd started and took the loss, allowing six runs on eight hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 5.2 innings. José Cisnero, Jason Foley and Will Vest combined for 3.1 shutout innings in relief.
ROSTER MOVE: Following the second game of yesterday’s doubleheader, the Tigers made the following roster moves:
*Optioned INF Tyler Nevin to Triple A Toledo *INF/OF Zack Short remains on the active roster after serving as the 27th man in yesterday’s doubleheader
VIERLING HEATING UP: Matt Vierling put together an impressive date at the plate in Saturday’s doubleheader, going 4×7 with two doubles and four RBI in the two games. All four of Vierling’s RBI came in the first game, establishing a single-game career high. Vierling has hit safely in five of his last seven games, over which he is slashing .455/.520/.591 with three doubles and four RBI.
E-ROD CONTINUES TO SHINE: Eduardo Rodriguez earned his second win of the season in the first game of yesterday’s doubleheader, allowing a run on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Rodriguez has allowed one run-or-fewer in four consecutive starts, tying the longest streak of his career. During the stretch, Rodriguez has a 2-0 record with a 0.68 ERA (26.2IP/2ER) and 24 strikeouts.
TIGERS AND ORIOLES: The Tigers and Orioles conclude their season series today. Baltimore has won five of the first six games this season. The Orioles have clinched the season series over the Tigers for the first time since 2016.
AT COMERICA PARK: The Tigers are 1-2 on their current seven-game homestand, which includes four games vs. Baltimore (1-2) and three games vs. New York (NL) (May 2-4). Detroit is 5-6 at home this season. As a team, the Tigers are hitting .250/.316/.374 at Comerica Park, while the pitching staff has a 4.98 ERA (103.0IP/57ER).
ON DECK: After an off day tomorrow, the homestand continues on Tuesday as the Tigers open a three-game set against the Mets. The two teams last played in 2019 with New York (NL) winning two-of-three games at Citi Field. Detroit has a 13-11 lead in the all-time series against the Mets, including a 5-4 edge in games at Comerica Park.
TIGERS ON THE IL:
• RHP Beau Brieske (right upper arm discomfort, 15-day IL on March 30, retroactive to March 27)
• OF Kerry Carpenter (right shoulder sprain, 10-day IL on April 29, retroactive to April 28)
• RHP Matt Manning (right foot fracture, 60-day IL on April 12)
• OF Austin Meadows (anxiety, 10-day IL on April 8, retroactive to April 7)
• RHP Casey Mize (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on February 17)
• RHP Freddy Pacheco (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on March 27)
• LHP Tarik Skubal (left elbow strain, 60-day IL on March 14)
• RHP Trey Wingenter (right biceps tendinitis, 15-day IL on April 22, retroactive to April 19)
• Single A Lakeland (11-9): W, 6-5 – Dillon Dingler, 2×2, R, HR, RBI; Manuel Sequera, 3×4, R, HR, 3 RBI; Garrett Apker, 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
TODAY’S TIGERS STARTING PITCHER – #56 Spencer Turnbull • 1-3, 7.25 ERA (22.1IP/18ER)
• Turnbull will make his sixth start of the season today in the series finale vs. Baltimore.
• Received a no decision in his last start on Tuesday at Milwaukee, allowing two runs on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 4.0 innings.
• Will be making his first career appearance against the Orioles today… in 29 career starts at Comerica Park, Turnbull has a 6-16 record with a 4.35 ERA (151.0IP/73ER) and 142 strikeouts.
• Made nine starts in 2021 and went 4-2 with a 2.88 ERA (50.0IP/16ER) and 44 strikeouts…limited opponents to a 0.98 WHIP and a .203 batting average.
• Threw the eighth no-hitter in Tigers history on May 18, 2021 at Seattle, striking out nine and walking two…was the first no-hitter by a Tigers pitcher since Justin Verlander on May 7, 2011 at Toronto.
