The Orioles will look to end their eight-game home stand on a high note with Kevin Gausman taking the mound against the Washington Nationals. The right-hander has pitched better since the end of June with a couple of hiccups like his six earned run performance against the Toronto Blue Jays and a four inning, six walks start against the San Francisco Giants.
However, Gausman is starting to rack up the strikeouts and is now averaging 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings which just happens to be 13th best in all of baseball among qualified starting pitchers. Gausman can be frustrating to watch at times as he allows a lot of two strike hits, but he is another strong start away from having an ERA under four in late August. We want players to be great quickly, but Gausman is following a path that should make him an above average starting pitcher for years to come.
Trumbo’s Weird Stat Line
Mark Trumbo has collected 12 hits for the entire month of August, but eight have been home runs. The outfielder has also driven in 17 runs which puts him on pace to finish with more RBIs than any other month. So is he having a great month or is he in a slump? Trumbo’s average is now at .256 which is clearly the lowest it has been at any point in the season. This is the definition of being an all or nothing hitter which we have become accustomed to in Baltimore with Chris Davis being around.
Oh and did I mention Trumbo’s last seven hits have all gone yard?
The Need For A Right-Handed Hitting Outfielder
Chris Davis “can” play outfield, but that doesn’t mean he should be out there when there is a lefty on the mound. The Orioles acquired Steve Pearce knowing he was dealing with arm problems, but still rolled the dice that they could use him in the outfield. That backfired as the injury flared up which has now reduced his role to designated hitter role or a part-time first baseman.
Buck Showalter has tried to get Trumbo out of the outfield when given the opportunity which is why Davis is playing out of position against left-handers. The Orioles tried to acquire outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. but that fell through which is why they are in this position. Nolan Reimold continues to struggle and Joey Rickard isn’t coming off the disabled list any time soon.
September is almost here so there will be reinforcements in the likes of Christian Walker and Dariel Alvarez who are both having strong seasons. However, the chances of Showalter using those players in the middle of a playoff race is probably slim. This will continue to be a storyline to follow over the next six weeks.
Hart Proving He Belongs
Due to the struggles of Brian Matusz, the Orioles were searching for a left-handed specialist for most of the season, but it appears they finally have one in Donnie Hart. Showalter didn’t hesitate to put the rookie in against two of the top elite hitters in Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper which shows the confidence he has in him.
There is no timetable for Darren O’Day’s return and despite pitching better recently against lefties, Mychal Givens is not a guy you want facing them on a consistent basis. Hart will and should continue to be used in these situations down the stretch and he will be an integral part in helping this team reach the postseason.
