LOS ANGELES ANGELS NOTES:
LEADING OFF: Today, the Angels play the fifth (2-2) of seven games on a road trip to Cleveland (1-2) and Baltimore (1-0; May 15-18)…Halos went 2-4 on last homestand against the Rangers (1-2) and Astros (1- 2)…LAA was 4-2 on last road trip at Milwaukee (1-2) and St. Louis (3-0).
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER SHO: Last night, Shohei Ohtani became the first pitcher to reach base safely five times in a game since Mel Stottlemyre for the Yankees on Sept. 26, 1964 at Washington…He finished a double shy of becoming the first starting pitcher in MLB history to hit for the cycle.
MORE HISTORY: Shohei Ohtani reached the 400 career innings pitched threshold last night…According to ELIAS, his 509 strikeouts in his first 400 innings as a starter are the second-most all-time (Corbin Burnes had 539 strikeouts through his first 400 IP for Milwaukee).
VS. BALTIMORE: Today is the second (1-0) of seven matchups this season between the Angels and Orioles…In addition to the current series in Baltimore, the teams will meet again Sept. 4-6 at Angel Stadium… Last season, Halos went 1-6 against Orioles…LAA has lost eight of last 10 games vs. O’s.
STREAK SNAPPED: Angels victory last night snapped a six game losing streak at Camden Yards, which dated back to Aug. 24, 2021 (streak finished tied for Angels longest at the ballpark; also had six game losing streak at Camden Yards in 2003).
LEAGUE LEADER: Shohei Ohtani, leads the Majors in opponent batting average (.145), and ranks second in strikeouts (71), fifth in WHIP (0.91) and 10th in innings pitched (53.0).
BALTIMORE MEMORIES: Mike Trout hit his first career home run on July 24, 2011 at Camden Yards (off Mark Worrell)…Trout also made one of his most memorable defensive plays of his career at the ballpark on June 27, 2012, robbing J.J. Hardy of a home run.
A LOOK AT THE STANDINGS: Angels enter play today in third place in the American League West standings (-3.5 games behind Texas).
RECENT ROSTER MOVES: Yesterday, the Angels reinstated C Chad Wallach from the injured list and recalled INF Livan Soto from Double-A Rocket City…In corresponding moves, C Chris Okey was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake and INF Anthony Rendon (left groin strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list (retro to May 14)…Sunday, RHP Zack Weiss was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake and RHP Ryan Tepera was designated for assignment.
PLAY FROM AHEAD: Halos have held leads in 35 of 42 games played this year.
GOING DEEP: Angels have hit 55 home runs this season, which are fourth-most in the A.L, behind the Rays (81), Yankees (63) and Twins (57).
SINGLE HANDED: Gio Urshela has hit 36 singles this year plus four extra-base hits (four doubles & one home run)…Urshela ranks second, behind Toronto’s Bo Bichette (39), for the American League lead in singles.
ESTÉVEZ ENDING: This season, Carlos Estévez is pitching to a 1.42 ERA (19 IP – 3 ER) and has converted all nine of his save opportunities…Is looking to become first Angels pitcher to convert his first 10 save opportunities of a season since Ernesto Frieri converted his first 12 opportunities in 2012.
WALSH ON REHAB: Jared Walsh (headaches and insomnia) has played three games on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake and is batting .375 (3/8) with two runs scored and three walks. THE INJURED LIST: Halos currently have 11 players on the injured list and have used the IL 14 total times this year.
ALL OVER THE INFIELD: Gio Urshela is one of six players in the Majors to appear at all four infield positions this season…He has made 16 starts at first base, 11 starts at third base, eight at shortstop and one at second base.
FRIDAY NIGHT COMEBACK: Halos plated two runs in the 9th inning Friday night to secure a 5-4 victory over the Guardians…Marked third win this season when trailing after eight innings, which matches the Angels total from each of the last two seasons…Last time LAA had more than three wins in a season when trailing after eight frames was 2017 (5).
UNEARNED: Angels have allowed 26 unearned runs this season, which is the most in the Majors…Halos have committed 29 fielding errors this season, which is second-most in the Majors (Oakland – 30 errors).
ON THE BOARD: Halos have not been shut out since Aug. 21, 2022 at Detroit…Current streak of 83 games without being shut out is the longest active streak in the Majors and fifth-longest streak in Angels history.
NET-OW: Zack Neto has been hit by seven pitches this season, which is tied for third-most in the Majors… Since 1901, Neto’s seven HBP through his first 15 career games are the most in MLB…He also was the first player in Angels history to be hit a pitch in four consecutive games (April 18-21).
TWINS ON DECK: Following the current series in Baltimore, the Angels will return home and begin a nine game homestand with a three game set against the Minnesota Twins…Last season, Halos went 4-2 against Minnesota to take the season series for a second consecutive year.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – RHP CHASE SILSETH
0-0, 3.24 ERA
Making first Major League start of the season
- TODAY’S GAME: Making fifth Major League appearance (first start) of the season and third road outing of 2023…Will celebrate 23rd birthday on Thursday (born May 18, 2000).
- IN THE BIGS: Began year with Triple-A Salt Lake and was recalled by Angels on April 26.
- FROM THE ‘PEN: Made four appearances this season from the bullpen…Worked 5.0 scoreless innings across first three games, allowing no hits and three walks, before yielding six runs (three earned) in last game.
- LAST TIME OUT: Pitched a season-high 3.1 innings in relief in last appearance on May 7 vs. Texas at Angel Stadium…Was charged with six runs (three earned) on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts…The six total runs were a career high.
- VS. BALTIMORE/AT CAMDEN YARDS: Today is second career pitching appearance vs. Baltimore…Is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA (4 IP – 4 ER) following only previous game on July 7, 2022 at Camden Yards (L; 4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO)
- WITH SALT LAKE: In four games (all starts) this season for Salt Lake, was 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA (20 IP – 2 ER) and 20 strikeouts…Was unscored upon in three of the four starts.
- VALEDICTORIAN: Became the first player from the 2021 MLB Draft to reach the Major Leagues.
- MILLENNIUM MAN: Was the first player born in the 2000s to play for Angels…At 21 years, 360 days old on the day of his debut, became youngest player to pitch for Angels since José Suarez in 2019.
- MLB DEBUT: Earned the win in Major League debut on May 13, 2022 at Oakland (W; 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 SO)…Joined Jered Weaver as the only Angels to work 6+ scoreless innings in an MLB debut and joined Rudy May as the Halos to work 6+ innings and allow one hit in a debut.
- QUICK PATH TO THE BIGS: Was the Angels 11th round selection in the 2021 Draft of the University of Arizona…Reached the Majors after pitching in just eight total minor league games (three in 2021 and five starts for Double-A Rocket City in 2022 before big league promotion).
BALTIMORE ORIOLES NOTES:
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Orioles fell to the Angels yesterday, 9-5, in the opener of the four-game set at Oriole Park…Dropped to 12-2 in series openers…Marked Baltimore’s first loss to the Angels since April 24, 2022 at Angel Stadium, and first home loss against them since August 24, 2021…Tied a season high with three home runs (6x, last: 5/5 at ATL)…Surrendered a season-high 17 hits, their most since September 10, 2022 vs.
Boston (21)…Allowed seven extra-base hits for the third time this season (last: 9, 5/4 at KC).
Adam Frazier hit his first career homer at Camden Yards and fourth of the season; his four home runs have come in 40 games (32 GS) after hitting three home runs in 156 games (140 GS) last year with Seattle.
Jorge Mateo swiped his 13th bag of the season in the third inning; tied for fifth in MLB in steals.
Anthony Santander made his first career appearance at first base; launched his sixth homer of the season, a 416-foot blast to center field in the third inning, his first home run since going deep twice on May 5 at Atlanta.
WHAT’S TRENDING: The O’s have won 17 of their last 25 games, 20 of 29, and 22 of 32… The 26-15 overall record is tied for third in MLB to start the season (see box at right).
Last season, the Birds did not reach 26 wins until the 61st game on June 12 (26- 35); they did not reach 27 wins until the 63rd game on June 14 (27-36).
The Orioles are 88-64 since June 1, 2022, a 94-win pace; the .579 winning percentage during that time is the third-best in the AL and fifth-best in MLB, trailing the Braves (.680, 104-49), Dodgers (.677, 105-50), Astros (.627, 96-57), and Mariners (.584, 90-64).
AGAINST THE ANGELS: The O’s and Angels began a seven-game season series last night with the first of four games at Oriole Park through Thursday…The Orioles will travel to Angel Stadium for three games from September 4-6…The Birds went 6-1 against the Angels in 2022, including sweeping a four-game series from July 7-10 at Camden Yards for the first time against the Angels since 2003.
FEELS GOOD TO BE HOME: The Orioles are in the midst of an 11-day, 10-game homestand, their longest of the season, continuing tonight with the second of four games against Los Angeles-AL…The O’s have gone 4-3, winning four straight games from May 9-13.
LOOKING AHEAD: The O’s hit the road for a seven-day, six-game road trip beginning on Friday in Toronto, the first meeting between the O’s and Blue Jays this season…After an off day next Monday, the Orioles make their first trip to Yankee Stadium this year with three games against the Yankees from May 23-25.
WHAT A RELIEF: The Baltimore bullpen owns a 3.00 ERA (52 ER/156.0 IP), second-best in MLB behind Seattle (2.76)…Baltimore’s 2.39 reliever ERA (20 ER/75.1 IP) at home ranks as the second-best in the majors behind Toronto (1.82)…O’s relievers have 12 wins this season, tied with Arizona, Cincinnati, and Miami for the most in the majors…The Orioles are second in MLB with 184 strikeouts from the ‘pen.
LET BRYAN BAKE: After allowing a career-high-tying three earned runs on Opening Day in Boston, Bryan Baker has allowed just one earned run over his last 19 appearances (19.1 IP)…Among pitchers with at least 18.0 innings pitched since March 31, Baker’s 0.47 ERA (1 ER/19.1 IP) ranks second in MLB, behind only teammate Yennier Cano (0.00) and ahead of fellow O’s hurler Félix Bautista, whose 1.00 ERA (2 ER/18.0 IP) in that span ranks fifth.
Baker’s 20 appearances lead the team and are tied for fifth in MLB.
According to Statcast, Baker ranks in the top four percent of MLB in xBA (.167), the top six percent in Hard-Hit Percentage (26.8%) and xSLG (.267), and the top 11 percent in strikeout rate (32.1%).
His changeup has a 69.2 percent strikeout rate and a .058 xBA, the highest strikeout rate and lowest xBA on a pitch by an Oriole in 2023; it also has a 46.2 percent Whiff Rate, the second-highest on a pitch by an O’s hurler behind Bautista’s splitter (58.3%).
THE CANO SHOW: Yennier Cano has surrendered just four hits and one hit batter in 19.2 scoreless innings over 15 appearances to begin the season after being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on April 14…He allowed his first extra-base hit of the year on a one-out double from Pittsburgh’s Tucupita Marcano on Saturday…Opponents are slashing .067/.082/.083 (4-for-60), all of which lead MLB pitchers with at least 15 appearances…His .165 OPS against is less than half of the next closest player (HOU’s Phil Maton, .375).
He leads all O’s and ranks tied for fifth among all MLB pitchers with 1.9 bWAR, per Baseball Reference.
Cano’s 15-game scoreless streak is the third-longest to begin a year by an O’s pitcher in team history (since 1954), trailing Donnie Hart (18 G) in 2016 and Will Ohman (25 G) in 2010.
CED AND DONE: Cedric Mullins became the seventh player in Orioles history (since 1954) to hit for the cycle on Friday night…Mullins capped off his historic night with a three-run homer in the eighth inning after singling in the third, tripling in the fifth, and doubling in the seventh.
Mullins joined Austin Hays (6/22/22 vs. WSH), Jonathan Villar (8/5/19 vs. NYY), Félix Pié (8/14/09 vs. LAA), Aubrey Huff (6/29/07 vs. LAA), Cal Ripken, Jr. (5/6/84 at TEX), and Brooks Robinson (7/15/60 at CWS) as Orioles to hit for the cycle; he is the second MLB player to hit for the cycle this season, along with Miami’s Luis Arraez (4/11 at PHI).
Has hit safely in nine of his last 10 starts and 15 of his last 18.
His 32 RBI rank sixth in the AL and tied for seventh in MLB; the 31 RBI as the center fielder lead the majors.
He leads the O’s with 1.5 fWAR, per FanGraphs.
BIG TIME RUTSCH: Adley Rutschman has appeared in all 41 Orioles games this season, tied with Cincinnati’s Tyler Stephenson for the most by a player who has played at least half of his games at catcher…His 74 times on base lead the AL and are tied for fifth in MLB…He leads the AL and is tied for third in MLB with 32 walks while ranking third in the AL and seventh in the majors with a .409 on-base percentage.
SCORING CHANGE: MLB has made the following scoring change affecting the Orioles:
In the bottom of the ninth inning on May 14 vs. Pittsburgh, Austin Hays reached first base on what was originally scored a fielding error on third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes…The ruling has been changed to a base hit.
ROSTER MOVES: The Orioles today recalled left-handed pitcher Cole Irvin from Triple-A Norfolk…In a corresponding move, right-handed pitcher Logan Gillaspie was optioned to the Tides after yesterday’s game.
STARTING PITCHER – #64 DEAN KREMER RHP
QUICK HITS: Slated to make his ninth start of the season, fifth at home, and second career start against the Angels 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: Earned his second straight win in his last start on May 10 vs. Tampa Bay…Worked 6.0 scoreless innings on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts…Marked his third quality start of the season…Threw a season-high-tying 95 pitches, 60 strikes.
AGAINST THE ANGELS: Making his second career start against the Angels… Earned the win in his only career start against Los Angeles-AL on July 9, 2022 at Oriole Park, working 5.0 scoreless innings on two hits with three walks, a hit batter, and a career-high-tying seven strikeouts…Threw 95 pitches, 58 strikes.
AGAINST THE AL WEST: Making his 11th career start against the AL West… Sports a 3-0 record with a 2.83 ERA (18 ER/57.1 IP) and five quality starts through his first 10 outings against the division…The O’s own an 8-2 edge in those games…Did not factor into the decision in his last start against the AL West on April 12 vs. Oakland…Allowed four runs on five hits (2 HR) with two walks, a hit batter, and one strikeout in 4.1 innings; exited with two runners on that were stranded…Threw 90 pitches, 52 strikes…Tossed his first career shutout and complete game on September 23, 2022 vs. Houston.
HOME SWEET HOME: Has gone 2-0 with a 5.14 ERA (12 ER/21.0 IP) in four home starts this season…Earned the win in his last start at Oriole Park on May 10 vs. Tampa Bay…Owns a 6-7 record with a 4.30 ERA (60 ER/125.2 IP) and eight quality starts through his first 24 career home appearances (23 starts).
‘KREM’ OF THE CROP: Had his career-high scoreless streak snapped at 22.2 innings on July 4, 2022 vs. Texas…Marks the longest scoreless streak by an Orioles starter since Mike Mussina pitched 27.0 scoreless innings from September 21, 1995 to April 2, 1996…The last Orioles pitcher with a scoreless streak of at least 22.2 innings was Steve Johnson, who tossed 25.1 scoreless frames across eight games (three starts) from August 25 to September 29, 2012.
