BALTIMORE ORIOLES NOTES:
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Orioles lost to the Cubs yesterday, 3-2, and have dropped both games to begin this series…Adley Rutschman tied the game with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, his second such home run this week, and Austin Hays recorded his third straight multi-hit effort in the loss…The O’s left nine men on base and finished 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position…Kyle Gibson turned in his team-leading eighth quality start of the year, allowing three runs over 6.0 innings.
SERIES-LY: Baltimore has lost back-to-back road series for the first time this season… After winning 12 of the first 16 series to start the campaign, the O’s have dropped four of the last seven…The team has not been swept since a three-game set from May 13-15, 2022 at Detroit and not by a National League opponent since losing three games from May 21-23, 2021 at Washington.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS: Yesterday, the O’s fell to 12-8 in one-run affairs this season…The .600 winning percentage in those games is sixth-best in MLB…The Orioles are 36-22 (.621) in games decided by four runs or less, the third-best winning percentage in MLB this year… Over 82 percent (58 of 70) of the team’s games have been decided by four or fewer runs.
ROAD WARRIORS: The Orioles began a five-game road trip on Friday in Chicago with three games against the Cubs through today…Following an off day on Monday, the O’s travel to Tampa Bay for two games from June 20-21.
Baltimore is 21-14 (.600) away from Camden Yards this season, the third-best road record in MLB behind Atlanta (22-11) and Arizona (20-11), though the team has dropped four of the last five and five of the last seven road games; the Birds went 38-43 (.469) on the road in 2022 after going a combined 114-237 (.325) away from Oriole Park from 2017-21.
AGAINST THE CUBS: The Orioles and Cubs meet for the only time in 2023 this weekend at Wrigley Field…The O’s went 3-1 against the Cubbies last season, winning both games in Chicago from July 12-13…Baltimore and Chicago split a pair of games at Oriole Park on June 7 and August 18…Though the teams have only matched up 17 times since they first met in 2003 entering this year, this marks the first time they’ve played in back-to-back seasons.
Despite winning both games at Wrigley in 2022, the Birds have dropped five of the last seven games at the Friendly Confines since 2014.
WHAT’S TRENDING: Despite losing three of the last four, the O’s have won six of their last nine games, 34 of 54, 37 of 58, and 39 of 61…The 43-27 (.614) overall record is tied for the third-best in MLB (see box at right)…Baltimore is 91-62 (.595) since July 3, 2022, the fifth-best record in MLB during that time…This year marks the eighth time in Orioles history (since 1954) that the team has won 43 of the first 70 to start a season and only the second time in the last 44 years, joining 1997 (48-22).
OPENING STATEMENTS: Orioles starting pitchers have not allowed more than three runs in nine straight games and in 18 of the last 19 games…The starters have a 3.40 ERA (20 ER/53.0 IP) since June 8 and a 3.81 ERA (44 ER/104.0 IP) since May 27…In the team’s first 51 games through May 26, O’s starters had a 4.97 ERA (147 ER/266.0 IP).
BROHEARN: Ryan O’Hearn has slashed .400/.431/.782 (22-for-55) with six doubles, five homers, 12 runs scored, 13 RBI, and three walks in his last 17 games (16 GS) since May 16… Among players with at least 50 plate appearances during that time, he leads MLB in batting average and ranks second in slugging and OPS (1.213)…He’s matched his career high with three hits three times during this stretch (6/16 at CHC, 6/11 vs.KC, & 5/20 at TOR).
HAYS OF OUR LIVES: Austin Hays ranks second in the AL and sixth in MLB with a .312 batting average…He’s also among AL leaders in slugging percentage (6th, .506) and OPS (6th, .858)…Only one Oriole has ever won a batting title: Orioles Legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, who hit .316 in 1966…Hanser Alberto, who finished with a .305 batting average in 2019, is the only Oriole in the last 14 seasons to finish the year with a qualified batting average of at least .300.
Hays notched his 400th career hit with his fifth-inning single yesterday.
He’s recorded three straight multi-hit games for the third in his career and the first time since August 7-10, 2021; his 23 multi-hit games are tied for fourth in the AL and tied for 10th in MLB; four of those have come in the last five games and he has six games with 2+ hits in 14 games this month.
YOUNG GUNN: Gunnar Henderson is slashing .364/.391/.727 (16-for-44) with one double, five homers, seven runs scored, 12 RBI, two walks, and two stolen bases in 12 games (11 GS) since June 1…He ranks among AL leaders in home runs (T-2nd), total bases (T-5th, 32), and RBI (6th) this month…Henderson homered in three straight games from June 10-13, becoming the first O’s rookie to do so since Ryan Mountcastle from June 2-5, 2021…He also scored a run in five consecutive games from June 8-13, one shy of his career high set earlier this year from April 11-16.
He earned his first AL Player of the Week honor last week; he’s the first Oriole to win the award since Mountcastle in June 2021.
Ranks among AL rookies in triples (T-1st, 2), home runs (2nd, 10), runs scored (T-2nd, 35), slugging percentage (3rd, .449), walks (3rd, 31), on-base percentage (4th, .343), OPS (4th, .792), extra-base hits (4th, 20), and total bases (4th, 89).
BIG TIME RUTSCH: Adley Rutschman is batting .329/.388/.493 (24-for-73) with three doubles, three homers, 11 runs scored, six RBI, and seven walks in 18 games since May 26… He’s raised his batting average by 19 points from .262 to .281 during that span…After not homering in 14 straight games from May 27 to June 14, he’s gone deep twice in the last three games, both batting right-handed.
His 289 times on base (173 H, 112 BB, 4 HBP) are the most by an Oriole through his first 181 career games and the eighth-most by a player in his first 181 games with the franchise (since 1954).
He ranks second in the AL with 47 walks, tied for second with 119 times on base (72 H, 47 BB), and fourth with a .390 on-base percentage.
ROSTER MOVES: The Orioles selected the contract of José Godoy from Triple-A Norfolk and placed James McCann on the 10-day Injured List with a left ankle sprain…In a corresponding 40-man move, Reed Garrett was designated for assignment.
STARTING PITCHER – #64 DEAN KREMER RHP
QUICK HITS: Scheduled to make his 15th start of the season, eighth on the road, and fi rst career start against the Cubs today…Made a career-high 22 appearances (21 GS) in 2022, 11 appearances at home (10 GS), and 11 on the road… Owned an 8-7 record with a 3.23 ERA (45 ER/125.1 IP) and 87 strikeouts…Made six starts of 5.0-or-more scoreless innings, tied for seventh-most in the AL… Acquired by the Orioles along with INF Breyvic Valera, OF Yusniel Diaz, RHP Zach Pop, and INF Rylan Bannon in exchange for INF Manny Machado on July 18, 2018… Originally selected by the Dodgers in the 14th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of UNLV.
LAST TIME OUT: Earned his seventh win of the season in his last start on June 13 vs. Toronto…Allowed two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts in 6.0 innings… Did not issue a walk in a start for the fourth time this season and for the second straight start (last: 6/7 at MIL)…Marked his sixth quality start of the season… Threw 95 pitches, 63 strikes.
SINKING THE COMPETITION: Kremer’s sinker has a Run Value of -7, the second-best pitch by an O’s starter this season behind Tyler Wells’ fastball (-8), per Statcast…Opposing hitters are slashing .255/.293/.327 (14-for-55) with two extra-base hits (2B, HR) against the pitch through his first 14 starts of the campaign…In 2022, batters slashed .385/.429/.590 (15-for-39) with six extrabase hits (5-2B, HR) against his sinker.
‘KREM’ OF THE CROP: Kremer has pitched to a 5-2 record with a 3.50 ERA (18 ER/46.1 IP) and five quality starts in his last eight outings since May 5…Has completed at least 5.0 innings in each of those games and has allowed three earned runs-or-fewer in seven of his last eight outings…Tied a career high with three straight wins from May 5-21 (also: 6/12-7/9/22)…Also tossed a career-high-tying seven strikeouts (4x, last: 7/9/22 vs. LAA) on May 21 at Toronto.
AGAINST THE CUBS/NL CENTRAL: Making his fi rst career start against the Cubs and fourth against the NL Central…Dealt his third loss of the season in his last start against the division on June 7 at Milwaukee…Allowed a season-high six runs on nine hits (2 HR) with a hit batter and fi ve strikeouts in 5.0 innings… Threw 93 pitches, 58 strikes…Has pitched to a 1-2 record with a 6.89 ERA (12 ER/15.2 IP) and one quality start in three career outings against the NL Central.
ROAD TRIPPIN’: Making his eighth road start of the 2023 campaign today… Dealt the loss in his last start away from Oriole Park on June 7 at Milwaukee… Has pitched to a 3-2 record with a 4.86 ERA (20 ER/37.0 IP) in seven road starts this season.
INTERLEAGUE WARRIOR: Making his eighth career Interleague start; has gone 5-2 with a 4.12 ERA (18 ER/39.1 IP) and four quality starts in seven career outings against the National League…Owns a 3-1 record with a 3.42 ERA (9 ER/23.2 IP) and three quality starts in four Interleague assignments this season…His loss on June 7 at Milwaukee snapped a fi ve-game winning streak against the National League.
CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:
Cubs vs. Orioles
The Cubs and Orioles meet for the second-straight season after playing two game sets in Chicago and Baltimore last season (Cubs went 1-3) … prior to 2022, the teams had previously met at Wrigley Field back in 2014 when current Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was Cubs bench coach.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!: The Chicago Cubs wrap up a six-game homestand with the final contest of a three-game set against the Baltimore Orioles … Chicago opened up the ‘stand with a three-game sweep of the Pirates and have won the first two games of this three-game set with Baltimore by scores of 10-3 and 3-2.
Chicago is 30-30 all-time on Father’s Day with the club’s last Father’s Day win coming June 20, 2021 vs. Miami (2-0).
The Cubs look to complete an unbeaten homestand of at least six games for the first time since, well, the tail end of last season when the club went 6-0 hosting the Phillies (3-0) and Reds (3-0) Sept. 27-Oct. 2.
The Cubs enter today riding a season-high five-game winning streak, it’s longest since seven-consecutive wins Sept. 25-Oct. 2 of last season … Chicago has won seven of their last eight games dating to June 9.
Chicago is four-games over .500 (11-7) in its last 18 games starting May 29.
This is the 16th contest (9-6) in a stretch that began June 2 in which the Cubs play 15 of 21 games on the road … this stretch wraps up with the team’s two London Series games against against St. Louis June 24-25.
BASEBALL SAVANT POINTS OUT…: Cubs rightfielder Seiya Suzuki ranks in the 92nd percentile of average exit velocity this season at a 92.6 mph mark … Suzuki’s 52.8 percent hard-hit rate ranks in the 94th percentile of all players … on the other side of the ball, Suzuki’s outfielder jumps rank in the 97th percentile of players.
STUFF YOU SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF: Following a 3-1 setback to complete a three-game sweep at the hands of the Angels, the Cubs found themselves a season-high tying 7.5-games back in the N.L. Central Division … since then, the team has gone 7-1 and erased 4.5 games from the standings, currently 3.0 games behind division-leading Milwaukee (36-34).
The Cubs are the only N.L. Central Division club with a positive run differential (+12) … Pittsburgh is at -21, Milwaukee -19, Cincinnati -21 and St. Louis -16.
Chicago this season has walked in 10 percent of its plate appearances, the third-highest percentage in baseball (San Diego, 11.0% & Dodgers, 10.8%).
MOREL AT THE DISH: In 59 games between Triple-A Iowa and the Cubs, Christopher Morel has posted a 1.098 OPS, a .312 average (69-for-221), 13 doubles, three triples, 23 homers and 57 RBI … that includes a .292 average (31-for-106) with four doubles, a triple, 12 homers and 26 RBI in 30 games at the major league level.
INTERLEAGUE INTERLUDE: The Cubs are 12-11 against the American League this season, having started out 8-2 in the first 10 games through May 12 in Minnesota before dropping nine of their next 13 … Friday’s win snapped a four-game interleague skid for Chicago.
SERIES STUFF: Thanks in part to taking the first two games of this Baltimore series, the Cubs have now won three-straight sets … this started by taking two of three in San Francisco to close out the previous trip then sweeping the Pirates start this homestand … the team has won three-straight series for the first time since taking four-straight sets April 7-19 vs. Texas (2-1), vs. Seattle (2-1), @ Dodgers (2-1) and @ Oakland (3-0).
THAT’S JUST GLOVELY: Dansby Swanson has gone 53-straight games at shortstop without an error dating to April 20 (179 TC) … he is the third Cub since 1901 to go at least 53-straight games without an error at shortstop: Don Kessinger in 1969 went 54-consecutive games at shortstop without an error (274 TC) and Mick Kelleher went 60-straight games at shortstop without a miscue, spanning the 1976-79 campaigns (199 TC).
Swanson’s 2.7 WAR is tied for first among N.L. shortstops with the Giants Thairo Estrada and tied for second among all shortstops, according to FanGraphs … Tampa Bay’s Wander Franco leads all shortstops with a 3.3 mark.
I MEAN, IT HAD TO TURN AT SOME POINT: Including two bases-loaded singles and a bases-loaded walk Wednesday night, the Cubs are 6-for-12 with a hit by pitch and a walk with the bases loaded dating to June 9 … prior to this, the team had been 0-for-10 in their previous 10 plate appearances with the bases loaded dating to May 23.
Looking further back, prior to June 9, the team had just one hit in its 22 at-bats with the bases loaded dating to the eighth inning April 29.
STARTING STUFF: Cubs starting pitchers have posted a 3.92 ERA (162 ER/372.1 IP) this season, the second-best mark among N.L. starting rotations (Atlanta, 3.87) and sixth-best in the majors … the rotation’s 1.20 WHIP ranks sixth among major league teams.
Marcus Stroman leads the N.L. with a 2.45 ERA … Justin Steele’s 2.71 ERA ranks third.
Chicago has recieved 31 quality starts, tied for the most in the N.L. with San Diego and tied for sixth-most in baseball.
WHAT A RELIEF: Adbert Alzolay has posted a 1.04 ERA (2 ER/17.1 IP) in his last 14 games since May 6, walking three, striking out 15 and posting a 0.81 WHIP … Julian Merryweather since April 17 has pitched to a 1.09 ERA (3 ER/24.2 IP) with one win and allowed 19 hits and 11 walks with 38 strikeouts in 25 appearances.
Mark Leiter Jr. has averaged 13.65 strikeouts per 9.0 innings (45 SO/29.2 IP), the fifth-best mark among N.L. relievers.
The bullpen has allowed one earned run in 17.0 innings in the first five games of this homestand.
Starting Pitcher – #50 RHP Jameson Taillon (2-4, 6.70)
Last Time Out
Jameson earned his second win of the season, completing a season-high 6.0 innings while allowing three earned runs … marked his first quality start of the season … has completed at least 5.0 innings in three-straight starts for the first time in 2023 … has walked two or fewer batters in nine of his 11 starts this year … has allowed two home runs in back-to-back starts for the fourth time in his career (last, Aug. 2-8, 2022).
Date Opp. Result IP H R ER BB SO PC-S Left
6/13 PIT W, 11-3 6.0 6 3 3 2 4 95-59 3-3
2023 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 1-2 7.25 5 5 22.1 30 19 18 7 23
Road 1-2 6.23 6 6 26.0 26 20 18 10 21
AVG vs. LHB: .304 (28-for-92) / AVG vs. RHB: .269 (28-for-104)
Jameson will make his 12th start of the 2023 season today, his sixth at Wrigley Field … … has walked 17 batters, the fifth-lowest mark among N.L. starters (min. 11 GS) … has walked two or fewer in nine of his 11 starts this season … in six career starts against Baltimore, has walked one or fewer batters five times.
Made his first quality start as a Cub June 13 vs. Pittsburgh (3 ER/6.0 IP).
Earned his first win as a Cub June 2 in San Diego (1 ER/5.2 IP) … had previously gone eight-straight starts without a win, the third time in his career that he had failed to win in at least eight-straight starts in the same season (last 9 G, April 14-May 27, 2018).
Walked two or fewer batters in 16-straight starts from Aug. 14, 2022-May 9, 2023 … at the time, marked the fifth-longest active streak among major league starting pitchers.
Began his stint on the 15-day injured list April 20 (retroactive to April 17) with a left groin strain … was activated on May 4.
Went 2-0 with a 3.93 ERA (8 ER/18.1 IP) with 23 strikeouts, compared to no walks, during Spring Training … was the only pitcher in the Cactus League with at least 10.0 IP to not walk a batter.
