A win tonight locks down the first Wild Card spot for the Orioles
Just one win stands between the Orioles and home field advantage in the Wild Card round. The Detroit Tigers already won today to sweep the Rays (thanks for nothing, guys) so the Orioles are on their own. Especially since the Tigers close out their season against the White Sox.
A win tonight would have the double benefit of getting home field advantage and denying the Yankees the chance to clinch the division in front of the team that will in all likelihood finish in second to them. So that would be nice.
The guy you want on the mound is on the mound: Corbin Burnes. Unfortunately the Yankees have the guy they want on the mound to clinch the division: Gerrit Cole. Two aces, facing off. Often when this kind of pitchers duel looms the score doesn’t end up reflecting it. If that happens, I sure hope it’s the Orioles who are piling it on Cole and not the other way around. With the way the O’s offense has been looking the past few nights, I wouldn’t put it past them.
The starting lineup is similar to what we’ve seen of late, though Adley is DH’ing tonight after being off yesterday. I don’t mind James McCann in the lineup but it’s interesting. Ryan O’Hearn is at first in favor of Ryan Mountcastle, probably to get the lefty bat in there for the righty Cole. But where is Heston Kjerstad? I guess with Adley DH’ing there isn’t really room.
Orioles lineup
- Gunnar Henderson (L) SS
- Jordan Westburg (R) 2B
- Anthony Santander (S) RF
- Colton Cowser (L) LF
- Adley Rutschman (S) DH
- Ryan O’Hearn (L) 1B
- Ramón Urías (R) 3B
- Cedric Mullins (L) CF
- James McCann (R) C
SP: RHP Corbin Burnes
Yankees lineup
- Gleyber Torres (R) 2B
- Juan Soto (L) RF
- Aaron Judge (R) CF
- Austin Wells (L) C
- Giancarlo Stanton (R) DH
- Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 3B
- Jasson Domínguez (S) LF
- Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B
- Anthony Volpe (R) SS
SP: RHP Gerrit Cole
Let’s go O’s!