BALTIMORE ORIOLES NOTES:
BACK IN THE WIN COLUMN: The Orioles defeated the Cubs in Sunday’s series finale at Wrigley Field, 6-3, to avoid being swept…Anthony Santander clubbed his 10th home run of the season to tie the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning…Austin Hays went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored to raise his batting average on the season to .320, which currently leads the AL (see box at right)…Ryan O’Hearn went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, Aaron Hicks went 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored, and a walk, and Ramón Urías went 1-for-3 with two RBI…Dean Kremer earned his eighth win, tying his single-season career high set in 2022…Danny Coulombe (HLD, 1.0 IP, K), Mike Baumann (HLD, 0.2 IP, 2 K, 2 HBP), Yennier Cano (HLD, 1.1 IP), and Félix Bautista (SV, 1.0 IP, K) combined for 4.0 scoreless, no-hit innings out of the ‘pen.
SWEEPLESS IN BALTIMORE: The Orioles have not been swept in a series of at least two games since a three-game set from May 13-15, 2022 at Detroit…According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the streak of 62 consecutive series without being swept is the longest active streak in MLB, ahead of a 36-series streak by Arizona and a 23- series streak by Tampa Bay.
ROAD WARRIORS: The Orioles began a five-game road trip with three games in Chicago over the weekend (1-2)…Following an off day yesterday, the O’s face the Rays for two games beginning tonight.
Baltimore is 22-14 (.611) away from Camden Yards this season, the third-best road record in MLB behind Atlanta (22-11) and Arizona (21-11); 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 RAYS: The Orioles and Rays meet for the second time this season and first at Tropicana Field…Baltimore took two out of three games against Tampa Bay at Oriole Park from May 8-10…The Orioles will return to the Trop for four games from July 20-23 before hosting the Rays for four games in Baltimore from September 14-17…The O’s went 9-10 against Tampa Bay last year, 7-3 at Oriole Park and 2-7 at Tropicana Field…The season series was not decided until the 19th and final game on August 14 in Tampa Bay.
WHAT’S TRENDING: Despite losing three of the last five, the O’s have won seven of their last 10 games, 35 of 55, 38 of 59, and 40 of 62…The 44-27 (.620) overall record is the third-best in the AL and fourth-best in MLB (see box at right)…Baltimore is 92-62 (.597) since July 3, 2022, the fifth-best record in MLB during that time.
OPENING STATEMENTS: Orioles starting pitchers have not allowed more than three runs in 10 straight games and in 19 of the last 20 games…The starters have a 3.26 ERA (21 ER/58.0 IP) since June 8 and a 3.72 ERA (45 ER/109.0 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 .407/.435/.763 (24-for-59) with six doubles, five homers, 14 runs scored, 13 RBI, and three walks in his last 18 games (16 GS) since May 16… Among players with at least 50 plate appearances during that time, he ranks second in batting average, slugging, and OPS (1.198)…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 leads the AL and ranks fourth in MLB with a .320 batting average…He’s also among AL leaders in slugging percentage (5th, .515), OPS (5th, .875), and hits (T-6th, 77)…Only one Oriole has ever won a batting title: Orioles Legend and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, who hit .316 in 1966…Hanser Alberto, who finished with a .305 batting average in 2019, is the only qualified Oriole in the last 14 seasons to finish the year with a batting average of at least .300.
He’s recorded multiple hits in a career-long four straight games; his 24 multi-hit games are tied for fourth in the AL and ninth in MLB; five of those have come in the last six games and he has seven multi-hit performances in 15 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 June games (11 GS) …He ranks among AL leaders in home runs (T-3rd) and RBI (T-7th) 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 for the week of June 5-11; 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), walks (3rd, 31), runs scored (3rd, 35), slugging percentage (4th, .449), on-base percentage (4th, .343), total bases (4th, 89), extra-base hits (T-4th, 20), and OPS (5th, .792).
ROSTER MOVES: The Orioles today selected the contract of catcher Anthony Bemboom and recalled right-handed pitcher Logan Gillaspie Triple-A Norfolk…In corresponding moves, right-handed pitcher Spenser Watkins was designated for assignment and catcher José Godoy was optioned to the Tides.
STARTING PITCHER – #39 KYLE BRADISH RHP
QUICK HITS: Scheduled to make his 13th start of the season, eighth on the road, and third career start against the Rays tonight…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 in his last start on June 14 vs. Toronto despite tossing a season-high 7.0 innings…Allowed one run on four hits (1 HR) with no walks, a hit batter, and one strikeout; marked the fifth time this season in which he tossed at least 6.0 innings and allowed one or fewer runs (last: 5/28 vs. TEX)…Marked his fifth quality start of the season…In 2022, he did not log his fifth quality start until his 19th outing on September 11 vs. Boston…Threw 98 pitches, 59 strikes.
SHIFTING SPEEDS: Bradish is holding opposing hitters to a .197/.225/.263 (15-for-76) slash line against his slider this season, meaning that he has recorded more strikeouts (29) with his secondary pitch than hits allowed (15)…He has induced 53 swings and misses on 280 sliders for a 19.0 percent swing-and-miss rate…In 2022, opposing batters slashed .212/.278/.343 (21- for-137) against the off-speed pitch, and he induced 101 swings and misses on 593 sliders for a 17.0 percent swing-and-miss rate.
HITTING HIS STRIDE: Bradish has pitched to a 1-2 record with a 3.18 ERA (16 ER/45.1 IP) and four quality starts in his last eight outings since May 6… Has allowed three earned runs-or-fewer in seven of those games…Tossed a season-high 10 strikeouts on June 8 at Milwaukee…Did not allow a home run in a career-high-tying three straight starts from May 28 to June 8 (also: 10/2/22-4/19/23).
CAREER AGAINST THE RAYS: Making his third career start against the Rays tonight…Will be his first career start at Tropicana Field…Owns an 0-1 record with a 10.24 ERA (11 ER/9.2 IP) through his first two assignments against the division rival…Did not factor into the decision in his last start against Tampa Bay on June 18, 2022 at Oriole Park…Allowed six runs on a career-high 11 hits (1 HR) with one walk and three strikeouts in 4.1 innings; left with one runner on, who was stranded…Threw 79 pitches, 54 strikes.
CAREER AGAINST THE AL EAST: Making his 18th career start against the AL East tonight…Suffered the loss in his last start against the division on June 14 vs. Toronto…Has pitched to an 0-9 record with a 7.27 ERA (63 ER/78.0 IP) in 17 career assignments against the AL East.
LIFE ON THE ROAD: Making his eighth road start of the season…Has pitched to a 1-1 record with a 4.60 ERA (16 ER/31.1 IP) through his first seven road assignments this season…Did not factor into the decision in his last start away from Oriole Park on June 8 at Milwaukee, his first career start against the Brewers…Allowed three runs on six hits with one walk and a season-high 10 strikeouts in 5.0 innings…Surrendered all three runs and four of the six hits in the first inning; allowed two hits over the next 4.0 scoreless frames…Threw a season-high 98 pitches, 63 strikes.
SWING AND A MISS: Bradish registered 16 swings and misses on May 12 vs. Pittsburgh, his second-most in a game in his career behind the 17 he recorded on August 26, 2022 at Houston.
TAMPA BAY RAYS NOTES:
HEADING HOME — The Rays stranded the go-ahead run in scoring position in the eighth inning of a 5-4 loss to San Diego on Sunday afternoon at Petco Park to wrap up a seven-game road trip…RF Josh Lowe (2-for-4, RBI, R, SB) opened the scoring with an RBI-single in the second frame, but the Padres answered with three runs in the third inning… following CF Manuel Margot’s (1-for-3, 2RBI) sacrifice fly in the fourth, the Rays trailed 5-2 entering the eighth…Tampa Bay plated a pair of runs thanks to one-out RBI-singles by Margot and PH Harold Ramírez (1-for-1, RBI), but Margot was thrown out at home before the Padres induced a groundout to escape with no further damage.
RHP Yonny Chirinos (4.2IP, 6H, 5R, 3ER, 2BB, 3SO) made his third start (10th app.) of the season, taking the loss to fall to 3-2…the Rays bullpen shut out the Padres over the final 4.1 frames, including 1.1 innings by RHP Kevin Kelly (1.1IP, H, SO).
With the loss, Tampa Bay concluded its seven-game road trip through Oakland and San Diego at 3-4…the contest also marked the finale of a stretch of 17 games in 16 days with no off-days from 6/3-19 — the Rays went 11-6 in that span.
STREAK STOPPERS — The Rays remain the only team in the majors that has not suffered a losing streak of 3+ games in 2023…entering tonight’s game, Tampa Bay has dropped back-to-back contests for the eighth time this season — on each of the previous seven occasions, the Rays won their next game…Tampa Bay’s last losing streak of 3+ games was a five-game skid to conclude the 2022 regular season.
HISTORY AT HOME — Tampa Bay’s 31-7 (.816) record at Tropicana Field represents MLB’s best start at home since the 1998 New York Yankees (32-6)…the Rays are one of seven teams since 1901 to win at least 31 of their first 38 home games (excluding ties) in a season — during that span, only the 1998 Yankees and 1978 Boston Red Sox (both 32-6) have recorded better 38-game starts at home…Tampa Bay has won nine of 11, 13 of 17, and 17 of its last 22 games on home turf overall and has lost back-to-back home games just once all season (4/25-26 vs. HOU).
With a win tonight, Tampa Bay would become the seventh team since 1901 to win 32 of its first 39 home games in a season, and the first since the 1998 Yankees (33-6).
The Rays have gone 12-0 in series openers at home, the longest such winning streak to open a season since the 2013 Detroit Tigers (13-0), per Elias.
The Rays are 11-1-0 in series play at home, including seven consecutive series victories…according to Elias, it ties the third-longest such streak in Tampa Bay history, behind a pair of nine-series streaks (4/22-6/19, 2008 & 6/30-8/31, 2008).
Tampa Bay hitters rank among MLB leaders at home in several categories, including stolen bases (1st, 48), homers (2nd, 62), SLG (2nd, .486), OPS (3rd, .828), runs per game (3rd, 5.84) and extra-base hits (3rd, 142).
WON BY ONE — The Rays have gone 13-13 (.500) in one-run games, tying Cleveland (13- 17) for the most one-run wins in the AL…in all of MLB, only Miami (18-5), Philadelphia (16-7) and Cincinnati (16-13) have more such victories…the Rays 26 one-run contests are third most in the majors behind Cleveland (30G) and Cincinnati (29G).
Since 5/4, 21 of the Rays 44 games have been decided by one run, the most one-run contests in the majors in that span, ahead of Cincinnati (17G)…Tampa Bay is 9-12 in those games, including 6-2 at Tropicana Field and 3-10 on the road.
Tampa Bay’s 26 one-run games are its fourth most through the first 75 games of a season in club history, trailing the 2018 (31G), 2022 (29G) and 2000 (27G) squads.
BEASTS OF THE EAST — The Rays have gone 16-9 (.640) against the AL East, the highest winning pct. against the division by any AL Club…the only team in baseball with more intra-divisional wins than the Rays is Atlanta (17-6)…Tampa Bay has won three straight, five of six, and seven of its last nine games against divisional opponents…Rays starters have gone 4-0 with a 1.65 ERA (32.2IP, 6ER) while allowing only one home run (0.28 HR/9.0IP) over the club’s last six games against AL East foes since 5/24.
BLOOMING IN JUNE — Rays pitching leads the majors in several categories during the month of June, including ERA (2.80), opp. average (.197), opp. SLG (.313), opp. OPS (.608), hits per 9.0 IP (6.32), pct. of inherited runners scored (11.1%) and fewest total bases against (165).
Luke Raley is batting .341 with five doubles, two triples, two homers and 6 RBI in 11 June games…he ranks among AL leaders (min. 40PA) in SLG (5th, .707), OPS (5th, 1.064) and extra-base hits (T5th, 9) during June.
Harold Ramírez is slashing .378/.415/.541 (14-for-37) with three doubles, one homer and 8 RBI in 12 games this month…he ranks among the AL’s June leaders (min. 40PA) in AVG (6th), OBP (T10th) and OPS (12th, .955).
Francisco Mejía has turned in a .391/.417/.652 (9-for-23) line with three doubles, one homer and 4 RBI in seven games this month.
RANDY LAND — Randy Arozarena has a 28-game on-base streak at Tropicana Field dating back to 4/12, the second-longest active home on-base streak in the majors behind COL Jurickson Profar (30G)…during the streak, he is slashing .291/.447/.558 (25-for-86) with three doubles, one triple, six homers, 20 RBI, seven hit-by-pitches and 19 walks.
It ties the seventh-longest home on-base streak in Rays history and marks the fourth-longest single-season streak in club history…the last Ray with a longer streak overall was Yandy Díaz (29G) from 7/21/19 – 4/28/21, and the last with a longer single-season streak was Evan Longoria (34G) from 4/6-6/22, 2010.
‘PEN PALS — Over the last 15 games since 6/4, the Rays bullpen has produced a 1.62 ERA (55.2IP, 10ER) while holding opponents to a .152/.268/.250 (28-for-184) clip…they pace all MLB bullpens in ERA, opp. average, opp. SLG, opp. OPS (.518) and WHIP (0.93) during that timeframe…the bullpen has allowed only three earned runs over the club’s last eight games, turning in a 0.98 ERA (27.2IP, 3ER) in that span.
X’S AND O’S — The Rays and Orioles meet this evening for the fourth of 13 matchups this season…Baltimore took two of three games at Oriole Park from 5/8-10 despite both clubs plating six runs in the series…Tampa Bay is 69-39 (.639) against Baltimore since 2017, its most wins over any opponent in that stretch, ahead of Toronto (66-46).
TONIGHT’S STARTER: RHP TYLER GLASNOW (2-0, 3.43)
ALL G(L)AS NO BRAKES — The right-hander makes his fifth start of the season and his third at home…made two regular season starts in 2022 after recovering from Tommy John surgery before earning the starting nod in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series at Cleveland…suffered a left oblique strain during a Spring Training practice on 2/27 and was placed on the 15-day injured list on 3/29 (retro 3/27) before being reinstated on 5/27.
LAST TIME OUT — Improved to 2-0 on 6/14 at Oakland after tossing 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits and a season-high four walks with six strikeouts.
Glasnow threw a season-high 94 pitches, marking the most he has thrown in a game since 6/8/21 at Washington (114).
BATTLING THE BIRDS — In six career starts against Baltimore, Glasnow is 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA (34.2IP, 8ER) and 48 strikeouts against six walks while holding Orioles hitters to a .190 (24-for-126) AVG. Ê In his last start opposite Baltimore on 9/18/20 at Camden Yards, he earned the victory after throwing 5.0 innings of one-run ball, scattering four hits and two walks while striking out 10 batters.
He last faced the Orioles at Tropicana Field on 8/25/20 and earned the win after tossing 7.0 innings, surrendering two runs on five hits and one walk with 13 strikeouts.
THE RIGHT ANSWER — He is holding right-handed batters to a .114 (4-for35) average, allowing just two extra-base hits (2 2B).
Lefties have produced greater success off Glasnow through his firstfour starts, posting a .286 (12-for-42) average with four doubles, one triple and 3 HR.
For his career, Glasnow has been effective facing batters on each side of the plate, holding righties to a .220 (181-for-823) mark compared to .219 (169-for-773) vs. lefties.
STRONG STARTS — Glasnow has not allowed a hit or a run in the first inning this season, holding batters to an 0-for-11 mark…the first time through the lineup, opponents are hitting .188 (6-for-32) compared to a .273 (9-for-33) clip the second time through.
UNCLE CHARLIE — Glasnow has recorded 18 of his 26 strikeouts this season via the curveball while utilizing the pitch 23.2 pct. of the time and producing a 52.5 whiff pct.
In 2021, Glasnow used his curveball 13.5 pct. of the time and produced 57 of his 123 strikeouts on the offering, holding opponents to a .085 (7-for-82) average.
ROLLIN’ AS A RAY — Since making his Rays debut on 8/1/18, Glasnow is 19-9 with a 3.08 ERA (289.1IP, 99ER) and 390 strikeouts in 54 starts…since being acquired by the Rays, he ranks among AL pitchers (min. 250.0 IP) in strikeout rate (2nd, 34.0%), WHIP (4th, 1.02) opp. avg. (4th, .191) and ERA (8th)…has an 8.3 pct. walk rate since the trade, compared to a 10.3 pct. rate with Pittsburgh.
