Three weeks ago, the Orioles visited the first-place AL East team — the Yankees at the time — and got utterly destroyed, losing all four games by a combined total of 39-10.
Last night, they again visited the first-place AL East team — which is now the Rays — and got utterly destroyed in the opener, losing 16-6. So it’s safe to say the O’s have not exactly stepped up their game against their best divisional opponents this season. They’ve shrunk from the competition instead of rising to the challenge.
It’s just one of many reasons that the Birds have ended up in the quagmire they’re currently in.
At least we know this Rays series won’t turn out the same as that Yankees series — because it’s only three games instead of four. Not much consolation, I know. But that gives the Orioles two more chances to try to make something happen in Tampa. Last night was the fourth time this year that the O’s have lost by 10 or more runs, but in two of the three previous instances, the Orioles won the next game. So it’s not impossible that they’ll bounce back tonight.
They’ve got the right guy on the mound to do it. Kyle Bradish is looking closer and closer to his 2023 All-Star form, coming off back-to-back quality starts against the Athletics and Yankees. He spun six shutout innings against a tough New York lineup in his previous outing, and right now he’s the Orioles’ most reliable starter. He’ll take on Griffin Jax, a longtime reliever who’s converting to the rotation and has struggled with control. This is a winnable game for the Birds, but of course, there have been dozens of winnable games this year that the O’s failed to actually win.
The Orioles will have reinforcements today in the person of Jackson Holliday, who’s making his 2026 debut after the O’s activated him from the injured list yesterday. He’ll be at his familiar second base spot, batting seventh. His performance during his minor league rehab — .176 AVG, .574 OPS in 22 games — doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that he’ll help the Orioles right away, but maybe the addition of a fresh face will spark the offense somehow.
Orioles lineup:
LF Taylor Ward
SS Gunnar Henderson
DH Adley Rutschman
1B Pete Alonso
C Samuel Basallo
CF Leody Taveras
2B Jackson Holliday
3B Coby Mayo
RF Colton Cowser
RHP Kyle Bradish
Rays lineup:
LF Chandler Simpson
3B Junior Caminero
1B Jonathan Aranda
DH Yandy Díaz
2B Richie Palacios
RF Jonny DeLuca
CF Cedric Mullins
C Hunter Feduccia
SS Taylor Walls
RHP Griffin Jax
