The Baltimore Orioles conceded 22 runs in the last two games against the Boston Red Sox. Additionally, their offense looked lifeless after their 10-run series opener against the divisional foe.
Now, after their only off day until May 14, they will welcome a third consecutive last place team, this time the American League leader in runs scored and team batting average.
The Houston Astros season has been nothing short of wild. Even with a high-powered offense, their league-worst 5.97 team ERA leaves them anchoring a chaotic AL West with an 11-18 record.
An inferior team that has floundered in road games this season is coming to Camden Yards? This ought to go well.
Houston is 3-10 on the road this season, allowing 6.5 runs per game and scoring 5.1 runs per game. The polar opposites of their batting and pitching has been the story of their underwhelming start to the 2026 campaign. In their previous series, against the New York Yankees, they allowed eight runs per game across the three-game stint.
But, against an O’s team that has exceeded 17 runs in a series just once this season, H-Town’s bats pose a critical challenge. Will their offense be too difficult to overcome, or can Baltimore’s pitching staff withstand them enough to avoid a fourth series loss in five series?
Right-hander Shane Baz will be the first to contribute to the answer as he takes the mound for the Orioles on Tuesday. Through five starts with Baltimore, Baz has registered a 5.08 ERA, allowing 16 runs in 28 ⅓ innings pitched. In his last start, the 26-year-old let up four runs to the Kansas City Royals in just over six innings. Coming into Tuesday with just one outing under six hits allowed this season, Baz will now face an offense that has accrued 6.5 hits per game against opposing starters in their last two series.
Houston made the decision on Monday to start standout right-handed reliever Kai-Wei Teng amid the arm injury to Tatsuya Imai. Teng owns the lowest ERA in Houston’s league-worst bullpen at 2.16 through 11 relief appearances. The 27-year-old started seven games for Houston last season and three of his last four outings have lasted two innings or longer, suggesting that the Astros fully expect him to make a full start rather than serving as an opener.
Chris Bassitt is also set to make his sixth start of the season on Wednesday. Bassitt appeared to have possibly escaped the slump that saw the 37-year-old allow 12 runs in his first 11 innings pitched after tossing a scoreless outing against the Cleveland Guardians. But, the right-hander once again plummeted in his most recent start against Kansas City, allowing five runs on eight hits through 5 ⅓ innings.
Bassitt will face Astros right-hander Peter Lambert in the middle game. Since being called up from Triple-A by Houston on April 17, Lambert has accumulated a 3.27 ERA through two starts. The 29-year-old made his most recent start against Cleveland, keeping them off the scoreboard and allowing just three hits in six innings.
The O’s will hand the series finale over to Brandon Young, who has impressively won both of his two starts on the year. Young was recalled from the Triple-A Norfolk Tides after veteran righty Dean Kremer was placed on the 15-day injured list. Set to make his 15th career big league start on Thursday, the right-hander has allowed three runs in 10 ⅔ innings this season. Young faced Houston in his final two starts of the 2025 season, throwing a scoreless eight inning gem in one and allowing seven runs in 5 ⅓ innings in the other.
Houston will call upon veteran right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. to close out their fifth road series of the season. McCullers, 32, has conceded 19 earned runs in 25 ⅓ innings for the Astros this season. In his career against Baltimore, he holds a 3-0 record, 3.34 ERA and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. The veteran, however, finished last season with a 6.51 ERA, which has jumped up to 6.75 through five starts of 2026.
Birds to Watch
Gunnar Henderson, SS
In terms of hits, Gunnar Henderson’s five against the Red Sox marked his most in a series this season. In his seven games before Boston came to town, however, the shortstop hit 3-for-29 (.103) with 12 strikeouts.
Henderson now faces the AL team against which he has his lowest career batting average.
In 24 games against Houston, he has batted .202 with a .607 OPS, a steep drop from his .234 average against the Minnesota Twins, his second-lowest against a single AL team.
Against the current Astros pitching staff, Henderson has hit 5-for-26 (.192) with six strikeouts in his career.
All of Birdland will be watching as its former All-Star looks to change the outlook on his 2026 season and strike a team he has historically struggled against.
Can Superman beat his kryptonite?
Coby Mayo, 3B
As of April 20, Coby Mayo was the owner of an underwhelming .148 batting average.
Over the last eight days, the third baseman has been on a heater.
With a hit in each of his last four starts, Mayo is batting 5-for-15 (.333) with three home runs and seven RBIs. It would be a telling moment in the 24-year-old’s young career if he can continue his end-of-April hot streak.
Especially, since he, too, has struggled against Houston, though in a small sample size.
Mayo has appeared in six career games against the Astros, batting .125 with 10 strikeouts.
So, will we be having another series with extra Mayo?
Chris Bassitt, RHP
A scoreless outing against Cleveland gave O’s fans hope that the 37-year-old Bassitt had returned to the reliable veteran form that general manager Mike Elias acquired in free agency over the offseason.
You can’t have hope in Baltimore, though.
Bassitt immediately followed his best start of the season with five runs allowed to a struggling Royals offense, though the team ultimately won the game 8-6.
In 16 games against the Astros in his career, the veteran has allowed a 4.32 ERA, his third-highest against a single AL team. This season, Houston ranks sixth in team home runs and first in team doubles.
With Houston’s pitching staff as catastrophic as it is, Baltimore’s run support may be raised, but Bassitt is still in line to face his toughest opponent of the season.
Keys to the Series
The bats absolutely need to be better
This is the worst pitching team in the MLB. The worst. If they fail to hit against Houston, there may not be much hope they can hit against anyone. The Astros have a league-worst 6.31 bullpen ERA, league-worst 5.97 ERA, league-worst 1.65 WHIP and second-worst .267 opponent batting average allowed. Not much more to say here other than Baltimore’s bats need to use this as a “get right” series.
Firmness from the bullpen
Unlike their pitching staff, Houston sits atop the league from the plate. Their .259 team batting average ranks fourth in the MLB and first in the AL. Baltimore’s bullpen has surrendered 17 runs across the last six games. While skewed by a 10-run ninth inning allowed to Boston on Saturday, the relief unit has taken a noticeable step back from its dominant start to the 2026 season. As they take on a very efficient offense, they will need to bring their absolute best stuff, something we have seen at several points this season.
Let Houston collapse on its own
The Astros have been remarkably self-destructive this season. Though they rank fourth in team strikeouts, Houston’s 158 walks allowed this season leads the league by far. Houston also ranks second-worst in home runs allowed, which Baltimore should be chomping at the bit over considering their offense is very reliant on the long ball. The key here is remaining disciplined at the plate and avoiding uncompetitive at-bats. Make the Astros pitch to you. Make them throw strikes. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot.
