Through the first three weeks of the season, the Orioles have plenty to be excited about. The offensive numbers are terrific and their young stars are performing at a high level. But all that’s done is help cover up a shaky starting rotation. Baltimore will be tested by the defending champs on Saturday.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
The Orioles have been a pleasant surprise and very generous to their supporters in the early part of the season. Wednesday’s win ended a mini slide that saw them lose four of their previous five games, but they are still up 6.28 units on the moneyline.
Helped by winning their first five games of the season, the O’s are a lofty 6-1 at home following Wednesday’s walk-off win. They would certainly like to take some of that success on the road when they visit the defending champs for the middle of a three-game set. Baltimore split its first six road games of the year but the over did go 5-1 in those games.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Vance Worley (1-0, 5.06 ERA) has made two starts this season, but the Orioles have some flexibility with Saturday’s rotation spot due to last Sunday’s rainout and Monday’s off day. Tyler Wilson is also in the mix for the starting assignment. Either way, Saturday’s game figures to be a one shot deal if Kevin Gausman is ready to be activated next week.
Worley picked up the win allowing four earned runs and four hits over 6.0 innings at Texas on Apr. 15. He could be pitching for a spot on the roster.
Kris Medlen (1-0, 2.38 ERA) was terrific last Sunday in Oakland, holding the A’s to two hits and one earned run across 6.1 innings but received a no-decision in a 3-2 loss. He was staked to a 2-0 lead, but gave up single tallies in the fourth and seventh innings to spoil his shot at a victory.
In his two starts Medlen has only allowed three earned runs while striking out 11 in 11.1 innings. He has struggled with his control issuing eight free passes and holds an elevated 1.41 WHIP. After spending most of 2015 in the bullpen, Medlen is still getting stretched out in his starting role.
LIVE BETTING
Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado collected at least one base hit in each of the Orioles first 13 games of the season. He went 2 for 3 with a pair of walks in Wednesday’s win over Toronto and is picking up right where he left off in a career 2015 season. Machado played in all 162 games last season with a slash line of .286/.359/.502. He was the AL’s only 20/20 guy and was fourth in the MVP voting.
The best-player-in-the-game discussion must now include Machado, who leads the AL with a .407 average and 1.263 OPS. Just how good has Machado been? On Wednesday, with two outs and a runner on second in the eighth inning of a 3-3 tie, the Blue Jays issued him an intentional pass with Adam Jones in the on-deck circle. Oh, and they did it again two innings later.
QUICK PICK
The Orioles are looking for help to bolster their rotation and the black hole spot is due to pitch Saturday. Worley likely takes the ball for at least one more start before Gausman returns and he could be pitching for a job. He hasn’t been too effective this season and has really struggled since bursting on the scene with 11 victories for the Phillies back in 2011.
Offensively the O’s have been good, ranking among the top-5 in nearly every major category, but when the offense fails, the pitching will be exposed. The hope is to have starters go six or seven innings before turning it over to a reliable pen. That hasn’t happened much and the Royals have the hitting to make Worley’s night a disaster.
MLB Odds: Kansas City 5, Baltimore 4
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Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet, click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The ballgame between the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals will take place Saturday, April 23, 2016, at 7:15 p.m. ET at Kauffman Stadium. You can watch the contest live on the MLB Network.
