After an incredible week-plus on the road in St. Petersburg, Detroit, and Boston, the surging Orioles will now set their sights on punching their ticket to the postseason for the third time in five years during the upcoming 11-game home stand at Camden Yards.
As an Orioles fan that went through their whole childhood, adolescence and teenage years during the dark ages of Orioles Baseball, just the thought of a third trip to the playoffs in five years is nothing short of incredible. It is also a testament to how far this franchise has come in such a short time. The magic is back, and it’s here to stay this time around.
The Orioles (80-65) are just a game behind the first place Red Sox in the race for the AL East title after starting the month of September on an 8-4 tear. Along with being firmly on Boston’s heels in the division chase, the Orioles also own a one-game lead over the Blue Jays for the AL’s top wild card spot.
The O’s will carry the AL’s third-best record at home (45-25) and a sparkling 6-0 record versus Tampa at Camden Yards this season. Overall, the Orioles own a stellar 11-4 mark against the Rays on the year to date and a 9-2 clip over the last 11 meetings.
Tampa Bay (62-83) comes into Baltimore holding last place in the AL East and find themselves 19 games behind the Red Sox, but despite their status as the second-worst team in the American League, the Rays have shaken off a horrific first half of the season to record a respectable 28-29 record in the second half.
Rays longtime captain Evan Longoria (.273, 32 HR, 86 RBI) has been joined by breakout shortstop Brad Miller (.247, 28 HR, 72 RBI), do-it-all second baseman Logan Forsythe (.279, 19 HR, 50 RBI), defensive wizard Kevin Kiermaier (.250, 12 HR, 36 RBI) and sluggers Corey Dickerson (.247, 20 HR, 62 RBI) and Steven Souza (.239, 17 HR, 48 RBI) in the Rays’ respectable second half revival.
Even though the Rays are buried in the cellar of the AL East on paper, they are far from a push over…just ask Toronto.
Yovani Gallardo (5-7, 5.44 ERA) will take the mound in the series opener against Blake Snell (5-8, 3.62 ERA) on Thursday.
Gallardo should be rejuvenated after being skipped over during the last turn of the rotation, but will still carry a disappointing 1-2 record and an 8.03 ERA over his last three starts into tonight. Over six career starts versus Tampa Bay, the former All-Star has posted a 3-1 record along with a rock-solid 3.55 ERA.
Snell, 23, has been a shining bright spot on the Rays 2016 season during his rookie campaign and should find himself in the thick of the AL rookie of the year conversation come the end of the year. However, the Seattle southpaw boasts a 1-2 record with a subpar 6.17 ERA over his last three outings going into his first career start versus the Birds.
Ubaldo Jimenez (7-11, 5.98 ERA) is set to take on Chris Archer (8-18, 4.05 ERA) in Friday’s contest.
Jimenez has been a driving force in the Orioles playoff push as of late, going 2-1 with a stellar 2.67 ERA over his last five starts. The former Rockies All-Star held a dangerous Tigers offense to just two runs on four hits over seven innings last Saturday en route to an 11-3 Orioles victory.
In seven career starts against the Rays, the Orioles in-form veteran has registered a 5-2 record and an impressive 2.89 ERA.
Archer, 27, will be making his fourth start of the season versus Baltimore on Friday. The former first-round pick has posted a 3-6 record and a 4.52 ERA over 12 career games (11 starts) versus the Orioles.
Despite a horrid first half of the season, the Rays former All-Star has posted a very respectable 4-6 record and 3.11 ERA over 11 starts during the second half of the campaign.
Orioles ace Chris Tillman (16-5, 3.68 ERA) will get the nod against Matt Andriese (7-7, 4.46 ERA) on Saturday.
Tillman was excellent in his first start off the DL last Sunday, holding the Tigers to just a single run on four hits over six innings en route to his 16th win of the season in the Orioles 3-1 victory. Tillman owns an impressive 8-2 record and 4.34 ERA at Camden Yards on the year to date.
Over 24 career starts versus Tampa Bay, the Californian hurler owns an 8-9 record and a 4.09 ERA.
Andriese, 27, will be hoping for a bit of good fortune going into his third start of the season against the Birds after posting a 0-2 record and a dreadful 8.38 ERA over his first two outings.
The University of California-Riverside alum is also going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment, going 1-2 with a horrid 9.64 ERA over his last three starts.
This is subject to change, but for the time being, Wade Miley (8-13, 5.80 ERA) will take the mound in the series finale on Jake Odorizzi (9-6, 3.81 ERA).
After getting shelled at Fenway during a 12-2 loss last Monday, Miley owns a 1-5 record and a dreadful 8.41 ERA over eight starts as an Oriole.
But Buck Showalter may want to give the southpaw one more shot, as Miley owns a 4-2 record and a superb 2.81 ERA and 1.07 WHIP over eight career starts versus Tampa Bay.
Odorizzi, 26, has been on fire during the second half of the season, and owns a 6-1 record and an outstanding 2.78 ERA over 11 starts since the mid-Summer classic. The Illinois native is also coming off a sensational month of August in which he recorded a perfect 4-0 record and a sparkling 2.48 ERA. Over 12 career starts versus Baltimore, the Rays ace owns a 3-4 record and a 5.48 ERA.
With the Orioles about to embark on a three-series, eleven-game home stand that will very likely make or break the season, here’s to taking care of business at the yard!
