We’re kicking off the fourth week of the MLB season. At this point, who honestly thought that it would be the Baltimore Orioles with the best record in the American League? Regardless, that’s the case as the Orioles get set to welcome the Tampa Bay Rays to Baltimore. Tampa Bay has been an interesting team themselves, boasting a solid offense so far when traditionally, that’s been the team’s downfall.
This series will be contested from Monday, April 24, 2017 through Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Tuesday's clash is being shown live on MLB Network.
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Pitching Matchups
The Orioles’ rotation is typically the team’s biggest problem. Despite that, the Royals, Rangers and Twins are the only AL teams with a better starters’ ERA. What makes this feat all the more surprising is the fact it’s been done despite Chris Tillman spending the season to date in the disabled list and Kevin Gausman pitching to a 7.50 ERA through five starts.
Typically, the concern in this rotation would focus on the backend with guys like Ubaldo Jimenez and Wade Miley—both of whom are slated to pitch in the first two games of the series with Tampa Bay. This season, that may be a good thing.
Jimenez’s numbers haven’t been great, but he delivered a quality start his last time out, going seven and two-thirds scoreless against a red-hot Reds team in Cincinnati. Jimenez has always found success in Cincy, so we’ll see if that can transfer back home.
As for Miley, he’s been arguably the team’s best pitcher not named Dylan Bundy. Miley was sensational in his last start, going eight innings, allowing one run on two hits and one walk while striking out 11. Before that he had a quality start against Toronto and held the Yankees scoreless in five, though in that one, he did walk seven guys.
Overall, in three starts, the Orioles’ southpaw has pitched 19 innings, giving up four runs and striking out 24.
With those two slated to pitch the first two games of the series for Baltimore, the Rays will counter with Chris Archer on Monday and Erasmo Ramirez on Tuesday.
Archer had a rough season last year, but the Tampa Bay ace has had a much better year. He recorded 19 losses last year due to a combination of poor pitching and bad run support. His run support has been phenomenal this year. He’s also pitching to a 3.20 ERA and has yet to give up a home run. That’ll be key for him to maintain against this boom-or-bust Orioles’ offense.
Ramirez will be making just his second start of the year. He started as an arm in the pen, but is in the rotation replacing Jake Odorizzi. Ramirez is 2-0 with a 3.07 ERA and 0.682 WHIP in 14.2 innings.
As for Wednesday’s matchup, the Orioles will turn to their de facto ace in Bundy with Tampa Bay turning to Alex Cobb.
Cobb is in the midst of a three game losing streak. He’s kept his team in the game lately, but just barely. He’s given up four runs in each of this last three starts and has been extremely hittable. Bundy has been the opposite. He’s pitched to a 1.37 ERA in four starts and has already won three games, looking every bit the super-talent that he was projected to be back when he was drafted.
Offensive Breakdown
The gut instinct is that the Orioles have the better offense, but so far, that’s not been the case with the Rays outscoring Baltimore by 23 runs, though they do have a three game advantage there.
Tampa Bay and Baltimore have each hit the same number of home runs. Trey Mancini is leading the way in homers for the Orioles who still haven’t gotten Manny Machado going and are also waiting for Mark Trumbo to heat up as well.
Mancini already has five home runs in a part time role though he’s earning more playing time at the cost of a the outfield defense as he’s still a first baseman, despite playing games in the outfield. The same can be said about Trumbo who gets the starts in right when Mancini is the DH.
As for the Rays, Steven Souza Jr. hit his fourth bomb on Sunday and has been the player the team thought it was getting in the deal that ultimately sent Trea Turner to Washington. The question now is can he sustain it.
In any case, this is a team that got 30 out of Brad Miller last year and with Evan Longoria, Corey Dickerson and others the power will come. Particularly against an Orioles’ team that’s been prone to allow the long ball in park prone to allow them as well.
Bullpen Comparison
Alex Colome’s ERA is still at 0.00, but he allowed an unearned run in the ninth for his first blown save of the season.
Colome is an All-Star closer and is nails in the end of the game, but some of the other relievers haven’t been quite as good.
The Orioles’ bullpen is deeper, but they’re without Zach Britton who trails only Eric Gagne on the all-time consecutive saves list. Britton is out, but Brad Brach has stepped in seamlessly and Darren O’Day has also nabbed a save. Brach and O’Day are each former All-Star setup men. With them along with Mychal Givens against righties and Donnie Hart against lefties, the Orioles have the depth to close the door on the opposition and put it in the books if they can secure a lead after six.
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