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Adley Rutschman, O’s Face Rays for Second Straight Weekend
Adley Rutschman will look to continue his torrid hitting on Friday when the Baltimore Orioles play the opener of a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Rutschman’s Hot Streak
Rutschman belted a solo homer in the sixth inning and a two-run shot in the eighth of Baltimore’s 6-5 road setback to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon. He is 15-for-42 (.357) with three homers and 10 RBIs during a 10-game hitting streak.
“He’s been so consistent,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said of Rutschman. “He takes good at-bats almost every time out. Good from the right and left (side of the plate), great from right this year. … He gives you a great at-bat every time. He competes, and he can really hit.”
Previous Series Performance
Rutschman went 5-for-13 to help the Orioles win two of three games against the Rays during the teams’ series in Baltimore last weekend. Ryan Mountcastle went 5-for-12 with two homers, four RBIs, and three runs in that series.
Pitching Matchup
Tampa Narrows right-hander Aaron Civale (2-4, 5.37 Period) will be entrusted with keeping Rutschman, Mountcastle, and the other Orioles under wraps when he makes the beginning on Friday. In his most recent appearance, Civale, 28, pitched well, giving up just one run on six hits in 5 1/3 innings against Baltimore on May 31. In his four career starts against the Orioles, he is 2-0 with a 5.48 ERA.
The Orioles named left-hander Cole Irvin (5-2, 2.84 Period) the starter for Friday’s series opener. Irvin got a no-choice in spite of contributing great his most recent experience with his Friday rival, allowing two sudden spikes in demand for eight hits in 6 1/3 innings versus the Beams on Sunday. In five career appearances (four starts) against Tampa Bay, Irvin, 30, is 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA.
Rays’ Recent Form
The Rays recorded their third straight win and fifth in seven outings with a 5-3 victory over the host Miami Marlins on Wednesday.
“You’ve got to feel good about how we’ve played here as of late,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said.
Key Players to Watch
Isaac Paredes led the way on Wednesday with a pair of doubles and three RBIs. He has five extra-base hits (four doubles, homer) with eight RBIs and five runs during his seven-game hitting streak.
Randy Arozarena has shown signs of getting it together at the plate, going 4-for-11 with six walks in his last four games. He also was hit by pitches twice in that span.
“Randy’s at-bats over the last three or four games have been really impressive,” Cash said. “That might be the most encouraging thing, the way he is seeing the ball. He’s taking good swings and driving some balls down the line.”
Orioles’ Pitching Adjustments
Kyle Bradish initially was in line to start on Thursday before left-hander Cade Povich made his major league debut instead. Hyde said a little extra rest was his reason for delaying Bradish, who was shredded for five runs on seven hits with three walks in 2 2/3 innings of a no-decision against the Rays on Saturday.
Game Outlook
As the series opens, the Orioles aim to continue their recent success against the Rays, with Rutschman and Mountcastle leading the charge. With Cole Irvin on the mound, Baltimore hopes to secure a strong start to the series.
For the Rays, maintaining their winning momentum will be key. Aaron Civale’s performance against a potent Orioles lineup will be crucial, as will continued offensive contributions from Paredes and Arozarena.
Fans can expect a competitive series as the two groups are playing great and have central participants in great structure. Both the Rays and Orioles will want to improve on their previous performances and advance in the MLB standings.
