The Orioles (65-69) open a three-game road series against the Athletics (53-81) on Friday at Sutter Health Park, a season-low-stakes opponent that still represents a real test of whether Baltimore's playoff push is serious.
There's no getting around what the Athletics actually are right now: a club playing its home games at a minor league ballpark in West Sacramento while it waits out construction on a permanent stadium in Las Vegas, and sitting second-to-last in the AL West, 14 games behind the division-leading Astros. Oakland has won four of its last ten games, which is more than can be said for some of its recent stretches, but a 53-81 record is a 53-81 record.
For an Orioles team clinging to wild-card hope, this is precisely the kind of series that either gets taken care of or becomes the reason a season slips away — anything less than winning two of three, if not a sweep, would be hard to square with genuinely believing in a playoff berth.
Brandon Young gets the ball for Baltimore in the opener. He's been one of the more reliable arms in the rotation this year at 9-3 with a 3.50 ERA, exactly the kind of start the Orioles need against an opponent they should be beating.
Thursday's 7-5 loss to the Cardinals is still fresh, and manager Craig Albernaz broke down what went wrong with starter Trevor Rogers even in defeat. "I thought Trevor looked good early. Just like yesterday with Bradish, they did a good job of grinding out at-bats, fouling off some tough pitches, doing a good job moving the ball forward," Albernaz said. "For me, it was just two mistakes — the changeup for the homer, and then the one that seemed to leak down and down the middle and they put a good swing on it. Those were the biggest blows."
St. Louis' bullpen-game starter also gave Baltimore trouble early. "The first guy just mowed right through us. We didn't really have an answer for him coming in," Albernaz said. "He came out pumping strikes and getting ahead early, which forced us to swing at some tough pitches out of the zone and chase. But our guys did a great job of continuing to stay in the fight."
Albernaz specifically credited the rally that pulled Baltimore within a run — Coby Mayo's big swing, Jackson Holliday igniting things by stealing second, and Gunner Henderson driving in a run right behind him.
One lineup question worth watching Friday: Pete Alonso went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts as designated hitter Thursday, extending a stretch where the calf issue that first surfaced in Tampa Bay two weeks ago has continued to linger in the background. Albernaz pulled Alonso early from Tuesday's blowout win over the Cardinals specifically to keep him off his feet, and has been guarded when pressed on whether the calf remains the culprit. Alonso has said all along he intends to play through it, but a four-strikeout night is at least worth watching as Baltimore heads into a series it can't afford to treat as an afterthought.
Whatever Thursday was, it doesn't change the bigger picture: Alonso has been the reason Baltimore is still in this race at all. He carries 32 home runs and 91 RBI into the weekend in his first season as an Oriole, numbers that have him on pace for a career-high batting average and comfortably his best power output outside his rookie year. He's been on an absolute tear the last two weeks in particular, riding a career-long hitting streak and an OPS that's led all of baseball over that stretch. With Baltimore having sold at the trade deadline and shifted much of its focus toward next season, it's Alonso — signed as a free agent over the winter — who has effectively kept this year's wild-card hopes alive on his own.
Probable Starters
Baltimore Orioles: RHP Brandon Young (9-3, 3.50 ERA)
Athletics: TBD
Where to Watch/Listen
First pitch: 9:40 PM ET at Sutter Health Park
Weather: 76°F, Clear
TV: MASN
Radio: 98 Rock (97.9 FM) and WBAL NewsRadio (AM 1090 / FM 101.5)