BALTIMORE ORIOLES NOTES:
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The O’s dropped the second game of the four-game set in the Bronx, 8-4…Fell to 35-6 when out-hitting their opponent…Adam Frazier and Aaron Hicks each homered in the loss; Frazier tied his single-season career high with his 10th home run of the year (2018 & 2019 with Pittsburgh)…Jordan Westburg went 2-for-4 with a double and a pair of runs to collect his third career multi-hit game and first game with multiple runs scored.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Baltimore is in the middle of a seven-game road trip to complete the pre-All-Star Break schedule…The O’s have gone 0-2 in the first two games of a four-game set against the Yankees in the Bronx and will travel to the Twin Cities for three games against Minnesota from July 7-9…The Orioles open after the break with a six-game homestand against Miami and Los Angeles-NL from July 14-19.
AGAINST THE YANKEES: The Orioles and Yankees are meeting for the third time this year and for the second and final series between the two squads in the Bronx…The Orioles have gone 3-5 against the Yankees so far this season…The O’s will host the Yanks in Baltimore for three games from July 28-30…The Birds went 7-12 against the Yankees in 2022, 4-6 at home and 3-6 at Yankee Stadium.
Entering the current four-game set, the O’s had gone 5-0-1 in their last six series against AL East foes.
CED AND DONE: Cedric Mullins currently has 87 career stolen bases…He needs three more to tie Adam Jones (90 SB) for 10th in Orioles history (since 1954).
ROSTER MOVES: The Orioles today selected the contracts of outfielder Colton Cowser and right-handed pitcher Eduard Bazardo from Triple-A Norfolk…Cowser will wear No. 17 and make his Major League debut tonight against the Yankees, batting seventh in left field… Bazardo will wear No. 67 and his first appearance will be his Orioles debut…In corresponding moves, catcher Anthony Bemboom and right-handed pitcher Chris Vallimont were designated for assignment and outfielder Ryan McKenna was optioned to the Tides after yesterday’s game.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW: Colton Cowser is scheduled to become the fifth Orioles player to make his MLB debut this season, joining right-handed pitcher Grayson Rodriguez on April 5 at Texas, infielder Joey Ortiz on April 27 at Detroit, infielder Jordan Westburg on June 26 vs. Cincinnati, and right-handed pitcher Chris Vallimont on July 3 at New York-AL…Cowser is currently ranked as the No. 2 Orioles prospect and No. 14 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline.
Cowser, 23, has slashed .330/.459/.537 (67-for-203) with 10 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 54 runs scored, 40 RBI, 48 walks, and seven stolen bases in 56 games with the Tides this season, where he’s made 30 starts in center field, 11 in right, six in left, and seven as the designated hitter.
Named the International League Player of the Week twice this season: April 17-23 and May 8-14.
Named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star in 2022.
Selected by the Orioles in the first round (No. 5 overall) of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft out of Sam Houston State University (TX).
STARTING PITCHER – #64 DEAN KREMER RHP
QUICK HITS: Scheduled to make his 18th start of the season, ninth on the road, and eighth career start against the Yankees tonight…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: Dealt his fourth loss of the season on June 30 vs. Minnesota after allowing a career-high-tying seven runs (last: 9/30/20 at BOS) on seven hits (2 HR) with two walks, a hit batter, and five strikeouts in 3.0+ innings, tied for his shortest start of the season (also: 4/1 at BOS)…Left with two runners on base, who later scored…Threw 89 pitches, 53 strikes.
AGAINST THE YANKEES: Making his eighth career start against the Yankees… His last time out against New York-AL was his season debut in Baltimore’s home opener on April 7…Did not factor in the decision after allowing four runs on five hits (1 HR) with three walks and four strikeouts in 5.0 innings…Threw 87 pitches, 52 strikes…Has gone 1-3 with a 5.61 ERA (21 ER/33.2 IP) and 37 strikeouts in his first seven career starts against the Yankees and 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA (4 ER/8.0 IP) in two starts at Yankee Stadium.
AGAINST THE AL EAST: Making his 29th career appearance (28th start) against the AL East tonight…Has pitched to a 5-11 record with a 5.37 ERA (81 ER/135.2 IP) through his first 28 career outings against the division…Last time against the division on June 13 vs. Toronto, earned his seventh win of the season after allowing two runs on eight hits with six strikes in 6.0 innings…Threw 95 pitches, 63 strikes.
‘KREM’ OF THE CROP: Kremer has pitched to a 6-3 record with a 4.26 ERA (29 ER/61.1 IP) and six quality starts in his last 11 assignments since May 5…Has completed at least 5.0 innings in 10 of those games and has allowed three earned runs-or-fewer in nine of his last 11 outings…Tied a career high with three straight wins from May 5-21 (also: 6/12-7/9/22)…Tossed a career-high-tying seven strikeouts on June 18 at Chicago-NL…Worked a season-high 7.0 innings on June 24 vs. Seattle.
ENJOYING THE NIGHT LIFE: Owns a 7-2 record with a 4.80 ERA (29 ER/54.1 IP) and five quality starts in 10 night starts this season…His seven victories after dark are tied for the second-most in MLB entering tonight’s game.
ROAD TRIPPIN’: Making his eighth road start of the 2023 campaign tonight… Earned the win in his last start away from Oriole Park on June 18 at Wrigley Field… Has pitched to a 4-2 record with a 4.50 ERA (21 ER/42.0 IP) in eight road starts this season.
NEW YORK YANKEES NOTES:
AT A GLANCE: The Yankees continue their seven-game homestand tonight with the third game of a four-game set vs. the Baltimore Orioles (2-0 thus far)…will also face the Chicago Cubs this weekend in their final series before the All-Star break (Fri.-Sun.).
With a 48-38 (.558) record, the Yankees are tied for the fourth-best record in the American League.
Have won three of their last four games, five of their last seven games, seven of their last 10 games and nine of their last 14 games (since 6/20).
Have won three of their last four completed series.
Including this series, have won or split 12 of their last 17 series (since 5/8) and 13 of their last 19 series (since 5/1).
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Yankees defeated the Orioles, 8-4, on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium…RHP Clarke Schmidt (5.0IP, 5H, 3ER, 0BB, 7K, 2HR) started and recorded the win…2B Gleyber Torres (2-for-4, 3R, 1 double, 1HR, 2RBI, 1BB) hit a two-run HR in the first inning…3B/LF Isiah Kiner-Falefa (1-for-3, 1R, 1 double, 1RBI, 1SF) hit a sac fly in the fourth inning and a double in the eighth…DH Giancarlo Stanton (1-for-3, 1R, 1RBI, 1BB/1IBB) hit a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth inning…CF Harrison Bader (1-for-3, 1 double, 2RBI, 1HP) recorded a two-run double in the seventh inning…C Jose Trevino (1-for3, 1R, 1HR, 1RBI, 1BB) hit a solo HR in the seventh inning…1B Anthony Rizzo (0-for-4, 1R, 1RBI, 1BB) extended his on-base streak to 19 games…RF Jake Bauers (1-for-2, 1R, 1 double, 1BB) reached base twice…RHP Ron Marinaccio (1.0IP, 2BB, 1K), LHP Wandy Peralta (1.0IP, 1H) and RHP Tommy Kahnle (1.0IP, 2BB, 1K) were scoreless in relief…RHP Albert Abreu (1.0IP, 2H,1ER, 1K) allowed 1ER in 1.0IP.
PITCH PERFECT: Yankees pitchers have posted a 3.67 ERA this season, the fourth-lowest ERA in the Majors, trailing only Minnesota (3.59), Houston (3.60) and Atlanta (3.66)…also rank third in the Majors in opponents’ BA (.232) and fifth in WHIP (1.23).
NOBODY BEATS THE RIZZ: INF Anthony Rizzo has reached base in a season-high 19 straight games (since 6/11), his longest streak since a 23-game streak from 6/26-7/24/19 with Chicago-NL.
Is batting .313/.397/.506 (50-for-160) with 24R, 7 doubles, 8HR, 23RBI, 19BB, 4HP and 1SF in 44 home games this season… has reached base in 39-of-44 home games this year.
STANTON ISLAND: DH/OF Giancarlo Stanton hit a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth inning on Tuesday…has 7RBI in his last eight games.
Is batting .333/.417/.571 (7-for-21) with 3R, 2 doubles, 1HR, 6RBI and 3BB over his last six games.
Since 2019, has hit .355/.429/.581 (55-for-155) with 21R, 8 doubles, 9HR, 34RBI, 21BB and 1SF in 41 games vs. the Orioles since 2019.
DARTH BADER: OF Harrison Bader recorded a two-run double in the seventh inning on Tuesday…has 5RBI in his last two games, 7RBI in his last five games and 9RBI in his last eight games.
Is hitting .314/.342/.543 (11-for-35) with 5R, 5 doubles, 1HR, 9RBI, 1BB, 1HP and 1SF over his last nine games (since 6/24)…has recorded multiple hits in four of his last eight games (since 6/25) and has reached base multiple times in five of those games.
As a Yankee, has hit .362/.365/.638 (17-for-47) with 4 doubles, 3HR, 31RBI, 2BB and 3SF with RISP.
BIG DADDY KANE: RHP Tommy Kahnle tossed a scoreless eighth inning on Tuesday…has not allowed a run in 14 appearances this year, posting a .114 opponents’ BA (5-for44)…owns a career-high 18.2 scoreless inning streak (since 9/24/22).
BIGGER THAN BASEBALL: The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation’s annual Swing for the Fences Auction is now live…the charity auction gives fans a chance to bid on one-of-a-kind experiences and memorabilia…items include a pitching lesson from RHP Gerrit Cole, a batting lesson from INF Anthony Rizzo, OF Aaron Judge and DH/OF Giancarlo Stanton and a game of Mario Kart on the Yankee Stadium scoreboard against LHP Nestor Cortes…all proceeds support pediatric cancer patients and their families…more information can be found at Rizzo48.givesmart.com…the auction will end 30 minutes following the final out of the Yankees’ game on Friday, July 7.
HAWAIIAN PUNCH: INF/OF Isiah Kiner-Falefa is batting .406/.462/.656 (13-for-32) with 9R, 2 doubles, 2HR, 8RBI, 5BB, 2SF and 1SB over his last 11 games (since 6/22).
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: INF Anthony Volpe is batting .441/.457/.647 (15-for-34) with 8R, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1HR, 2RBI, 1BB and 1SB in his last nine games (since 6/25).
Has multiple hits in six of his last eight games.
Has reached base in 16 of his last 19 games (since 6/13), batting .355/.420/.565 (22-for-62) with 11R, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 2HR, 4RBI, 7BB and 2SB over that span.
GLEYBER DAY: INF Gleyber Torres hit a two-run HR in the first inning on Tuesday…in 77 career games vs. the Orioles, is hitting .316/.395/.618 (87-for-275) with 53R, 18 doubles, 1 triple, 21HR, 54RBI, 33BB and 2SF…his 21HR vs. Baltimore are his most vs. any opponent.
The Yankees have gone 75-22 in games that he has homered in his career, including 63-15 since September 2018…the Yankees are 10-2 in games he has homered in this season and have won 14 of the last 16 games he has homered in since 9/7/22-G1.
Has reached base in 22 of his last 24 games.
Has 6RBI in his last six games.
THE EAST IS A BEAST: Five of the top 10 records in the American League, including four of the top six, are held by AL East teams…the AL East is the only division in the Majors to have five teams that are .500-or-better…only one other division has more than three such teams (AL West: four; NL East and NL West: three; NL Central: two; AL Central: one).
JAKE RAKES: INF/OF Jake Bauers has hit safely in each of his last five games, batting .313/.421/.688 (5-for-16) with 3R, 3 doubles, 1HR, 3RBI and 3BB in that span (since 6/25).
Has had eight of his last 10 hits, 11 of his last 15 hits and 17 of his last 23 hits have gone for extra bases (12 doubles, 5HR).
His .571 SLG since 5/29 is the fifth-highest in the AL in that span (min. 90PA), trailing only Los Angeles-AL’s Shohei Ohtani (.891), Chicago-AL’s Luis Robert Jr. (.669), Corey Seager (.606) and Tampa Bay’s Luke Raley (.593).
BRONX BOMBERS: Yankees batters have hit 5HR over their first two games of their series vs. Baltimore…have hit 15HR in eight games vs. Baltimore this year and 43HR in their last 24 games vs. Baltimore (since 4/26/22).
GOT YOUR NUMBER: INF DJ LeMahieu has hit .421/.450/.526 (8-for-19) with 2 doubles, 1RBI and 1BB in his career off Baltimore’s RHP Dean Kremer.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP RANDY VÁSQUEZ (1-1, 1.74 ERA)
RHP Randy Vásquez will make his third career start tonight vs. Baltimore…was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre prior to tonight’s game…last pitched for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on 6/25 vs. Buffalo, taking the loss after allowing 2ER over 6.1IP (4H, 2BB, 5K, 1HR, 1HP)…has made 13 starts for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, going 2-8 with a 5.11 ERA (61.2IP, 65H, 39R/35ER, 34BB, 69K, 8HR)…in two starts for the Yankees this season, is 1-1 with a 1.74 ERA (10.1IP, 2ER) and 9K…made his last Major League start in Game 2 of a doubleheader on 6/8 vs. Chicago-AL, earning his first career win after tossing 5.2 scoreless innings (2H, 1BB, 3K, 1HP)… made his Major League debut on 5/26 vs. San Diego, taking the loss despite allowing just 2ER in 4.2IP (4H, 3BB, 6K, 1HR, 2HP)…became the second Yankees pitcher to make his Major League debut this season (also Jhony Brito on 4/2 vs. San Francisco)…spent the 2022 season with Double-A Somerset, going 2-7 with a 3.90 ERA (115.1IP, 106H, 56R/50ER, 41BB, 120K, 11HR) in 25 starts…following the season, was tabbed by Baseball America as the Yankees’ No. 9 prospect and labeled as having the “Best Curveball” among Yankees farmhands…was added to the Yankees 40-man roster on 3/22/22…was signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on 5/21/18.
LAST START: Made his last Major League start in Game 2 of a doubleheader on 6/8 vs. Chicago-AL, earning his first career win after
tossing 5.2 scoreless innings (2H, 1BB, 3K, 1HP)…retired 17 of his 21 batters faced.
HOME SWEET HOME: Tonight will mark his third career home start for the Yankees.
In six home starts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, has gone 1-4 with a 3.99 ERA (29.1IP, 17R/13ER) and 34K.
Made 13 home starts with Double-A Somerset in 2022, going 1-5 with a 3.36 ERA (59.0IP, 27R/22ER) and 61K.
FOR STARTERS: Became just the 12th pitcher in the last 16 seasons (since 2008) to make his Major League debut as a starter for the Yankees after making his Major League debut on 5/26 vs. San Diego…joined RHP Jhony Brito (4/2/23 vs. San Francisco), RHP Luis Gil (8/3/21 vs. Baltimore), RHP Deivi García (8/30/20-G2 vs. New York-NL), RHP Chance Adams (8/4/18 at Boston), RHP Jonathan Loáisiga (6/15/18 vs. Tampa Bay), LHP Jordan Montgomery (4/12/17 vs. Tampa Bay), RHP Chad Green (5/16/16 at Arizona), RHP Luis Severino (8/5/15 vs. Boston), RHP Chase Whitley (5/15/14 at New York-NL), RHP Masahiro Tanaka (4/4/14 at Toronto) and RHP Adam Warren (6/29/12 vs. Chicago-AL)…along with RHP Jhony Brito, marked just the third time during that span the Yankees had two pitchers make their Major League debut as a starter in the same season (also 2014: RHP Chase Whitley and RHP Masahiro Tanaka; 2018: RHP Chance Adams and RHP Jonathan Loáisiga).
NATIONAL STAGE: Became the eighth Yankees pitcher all-time to start against a National League opponent in his Major League debut, joining RHP Jhony Brito (4/2/23 vs. San Francisco: W, 5.0IP, 0R), RHP Deivi García (8/30/20-G2 vs. New York-NL: ND, 6.0IP, 1R/0ER), RHP Chad Green (5/16/16 at Arizona: L, 4.0IP, 6R/4ER), RHP Chase Whitley (5/15/14 at New York-NL: ND, 4.2IP, 0ER), RHP Tyler Clippard (5/20/07 at New York-NL: W, 6.0IP, 1ER), LHP Brad Halsey (6/19/04 at Los Angeles-NL: W, 5.2IP, 2ER) and LHP Brandon Claussen (6/28/03- G2 at New York-NL: W, 6.1IP, 1ER).
Was the eighth Yankee to draw a start at the current Yankee Stadium in his Major League debut (second this season), joining RHP Jhony Brito (4/2/23 vs. San Francisco), RHP Luis Gil (8/3/21 vs. Baltimore), RHP Deivi García (8/30/20-G2 vs. New York-NL), RHP Jonathan Loáisiga (6/15/18 vs. Tampa Bay), LHP Jordan Montgomery (4/12/17 vs. Tampa Bay), RHP Luis Severino (8/5/15 vs. Boston) and RHP Adam Warren (6/29/12 vs. Chicago-AL).
