After capping off a topsy-turvy trip on the West Coast by dropping two out of three in Seattle, the Orioles will be looking to recover and bounce back from a bruising blow in the form of a 4-6 road trip over the weekend against the Los Angeles Angels.
On the sunny side of things, the Orioles will now dig in and try to rack up a haul of crucial wins at home. They’ll be playing in the friendly confines of Camden Yards for sixteen of the next nineteen contests. Winning at home hasn’t been a problem for the Birds this season, as evidenced by an impressive 35-23 mark at OPACY during the 2017 season.
In the meantime, the Orioles (59-62) remain just three games behind their current visitors for the second wild card slot in the AL. Despite a disheartening finale in the tour through the West Coast, the Orioles still own an 8-8 record thus far in August and a solid 17-13 mark over the past thirty contests.
On the other hand, The Angels (62-59) have burst into form as of late and thanks to a sparkling 11-4 record through the first fifteen games of August, they own a half a game lead over Kansas City for the second wild card spot in the AL. The Halos have posted an impressive 17-12 record since the turn of the season and to make matters worse for the O’s, they’ve gone 7-2 over their last nine games on the road. That includes a four-game sweep over the Mariners at Safeco Field.
The Orioles will be looking to level the score versus the Angels after winning just one of three in Anaheim two weeks ago. Since the start of the 2014 season, the O’s own a slight 11-10 advantage over the Halos.
Will the Orioles do some damage against the current wild card holders, or will the Angels continue their excellent form and distance themselves from the pack of challengers?
We’re about to find out. Let’s take a look at the starters.
Note: Due to Dylan Bundy‘s extended rest plan, the following is based off of projection. The plan itself seems to be working- Bundy’s gone 3-0 with a 2.14 ERA over his last three starts.
Game One
Jeremy Hellickson (7-7, 4.70 ERA) will take the mound in the series opener versus Andrew Heaney (0-0, 0.00 ERA).
Hellickson was tagged by the A’s during his last outing and exited after allowing six runs on five hits over five innings in a losing effort. The veteran now carries a 1-2 record and a 4.50 ERA through his first three starts as an Oriole. On the bright side, Hellickson owns a rock-solid 3-4 record and 3.02 ERA over seven career starts versus Anaheim.
Heaney will be making his comeback start after missing thirteen and a half months following Tommy John surgery. The 26-year-old southpaw flashed big time potential during his rookie season in 2015 and finished the season with a 6-4 record and a 3.49 ERA. A 3.18 ERA during his three-start rehab stint is a promising sign for Heaney and the Angels. He could provide a massive spark to a team trying to hang onto a playoff spot.
Game Two
Kevin Gausman (9-8, 5.08 ERA) is projected to take on J.C Ramirez (10-10, 4.26 ERA) on Saturday.
Gausman spun another gem during his last start by holding the Mariners to just two runs on six hits over seven stellar innings. As a result, Gausman has notched a superb 6-1 record and an impressive 3.18 ERA over his last ten starts. He also boasts an outstanding 4-1 record and a sensational 1.80 ERA over his past six outings.
Ramirez is coming off of back-to-back rough outings versus the O’s and the Mariners and has allowed nine runs over twelve innings during that span (6,75 ERA). Nonetheless, Ramirez has had a great season for the Halos and he still owns a solid 3.72 ERA over his last six starts. He’s also been a road warrior for the visitors this season, as he owns an excellent 7-4 record and 3.65 ERA over eleven starts away from home.
Game Three
Wade Miley (6-10, 5.21 ERA) is projected to get the nod versus former Orioles prospect Parker Bridwell (7-1, 2.88 ERA) in the series finale on Sunday.
Miley wasn’t up to par versus the Mariners and finished his last start having allowed three runs on five hits over 4 2/3 innings in a losing effort. However, Miley has been very good as of late and boasts a stellar 2-1 record and 2.91 ERA over his last four outings. He has also notched a perfect 2-0 record over three career starts versus the Angels while posting an outstanding 2.01 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and .147 BAA.
Bridwell dazzled yet again for the Angels during his last start by holding the Mariners to a single run on four hits over six innings en route to his seventh win on the year. Bridwell, 26, has been amazing for the Halos as of late and owns a clean 5-0 record along with a sensational 2.22 ERA over his last seven contests. He hasn’t lost a game since June 30th, and the Angels are 10-1 when Bridwell takes the mound. To make matters worse for the Orioles, Bridwell has notched an impressive 4-0 record and a phenomenal 1.74 ERA over five starts on the road this season.
That’s all for now, Orioles fans!
Enjoy the weekend!
