The Baltimore Orioles will begin the second half of the season on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays, a team whose fortunes have dramatically reversed since the two clubs last met.
Less than a month ago, the Rays were contending for the AL East lead and held the top Wild Card spot. However, a lopsided 22-8 loss to Baltimore on June 18th triggered a 4-12 slump, the worst record in the American League during that span. This slide has dropped Tampa Bay to fourth place in the division and 1.5 games out of a playoff position.
The team’s struggles have been marked by an inability to win close contests, with eight of their 12 recent losses decided by two runs or fewer. A significant factor has been the bullpen, whose relievers have allowed an AL-worst 37% of inherited runners to score, contributing to one extra-inning and three walk-off losses. In an effort to address these issues, the Rays recently acquired reliever Bryan Baker.
Game 1: Friday, 7:35 p.m.
Charlie Morton (14 GS, 5.18 ERA) vs. Taj Bradley (19 GS, 4.60 ERA)
Despite a high season ERA, Charlie Morton has performed exceptionally well recently, posting a 2.76 ERA since rejoining the rotation full-time on May 26th. His strong play has fueled trade speculation as the deadline approaches. In his lone start against the Rays this year, Morton was effective, allowing just one run over six innings with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Taj Bradley has struggled in two previous starts against the Orioles this season. On June 18th, he was removed after just 1.1 innings, having given up seven runs. In a subsequent matchup on June 29th, he allowed five runs before being pulled in the sixth inning.
Game 2: Saturday, 7:05 p.m.
Dean Kremer (18 GS, 4.24 ERA) vs. Zack Littell (19 GS, 3.56 ERA)
Dean Kremer’s performances have been inconsistent, though he enters the series following a seven-inning shutout against the Marlins before the All-Star break. He has pitched well in two prior starts against Tampa Bay this season.
Zack Littell brings a solid ERA but a less impressive 4.96 FIP, having surrendered a league-leading 24 home runs. While he doesn’t record many strikeouts, he effectively limits walks. Littell has found success against the Orioles this year, delivering two strong performances in June, including a quality start and a seven-inning, one-run victory.
Game 3: Sunday, 12:10 p.m.
Trevor Rogers (6 GS, 1.53 ERA) vs. Ryan Pepiot (20 GS, 3.38 ERA)
Since his promotion from the minors, Trevor Rogers has been a standout for the Orioles, posting excellent results in five of his six starts. His only difficult outing, however, came against these same Rays, giving him a chance for redemption this weekend.
Ryan Pepiot has had two starkly different outings against Baltimore. He was knocked out early during the Rays’ 22-8 loss but later dominated the Orioles with an eight-inning, 11-strikeout performance in a win. While a high-strikeout pitcher, he has shown some vulnerability in two of his last four starts.
