Orioles Field Right-Handed Lineup Against Yankees in Series Opener

NEW YORK – The Orioles are opting for a right-handed lineup tonight to kick off their series against the Yankees, leading to Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Ryan O’Hearn, and Cedric Mullins sitting this one out.

Jordan Westburg will take charge as the leadoff hitter, covering second base. Ramón Urías is set as the third baseman and cleanup hitter, while Luis Vázquez holds down shortstop duties.

Coby Mayo returns to the lineup as the first baseman, and Adley Rutschman assumes the role of designated hitter.

Henderson is currently on a hot streak, boasting a 13-game hitting run, which is just one shy of his personal record. He has been hitting .396 with seven RBIs and nine runs scored during this stretch.

Rutschman notably has a .317 career batting average against the Yankees, ranking as the third highest among active players, trailing only José Ramírez’s .332 and Jose Iglesias’ .329, with a minimum of 150 plate appearances.

Mullins showcases a batting line of .302/.422/.509 against left-handed pitchers, placing his on-base percentage among the top ten in the majors. His .931 OPS versus lefties leads the Orioles and stands as his career peak.

Tomoyuki Sugano steps onto the mound tonight for his 15th start, holding a 3.38 ERA and 1.138 WHIP across 80 innings. However, his recent performances have seen him unable to complete five innings in his last two outings. His previous encounter with the Yankees on April 28 saw him pitch five scoreless innings, striking out eight.

Aaron Judge went 2-for-3 in their recent match.

In their last series, the Orioles secured two out of three games against the Yankees, winning 4-3 and 5-4 while falling 15-3 in Kyle Gibson’s debut start.

This June, the Orioles are allowing 1.80 fewer runs per game compared to May, marking the largest drop in the league, per STATS data.

They aim to bring their record to within nine games of .500 for the first time since May 11.

Closer Félix Bautista is celebrating his 30th birthday today. According to STATS, he has the chance to become the first Oriole to save games on multiple birthdays. Previous Orioles to accomplish this include Randy Myers in 1996, Tom Niedenfuer in 1987, Tippy Martinez in 1982, and Grant Jackson in 1973.

The Yankees recently snapped a six-game losing streak, during which they were shut out in three consecutive games, by defeating the Angels 7-3. They currently hold first place with a 43-31 record and have a 22-15 record at home. Their plus-101 run differential is leading the American League and ranking second overall.

Lefty Max Fried, holding an eight-year, $218 million contract, is boasting a 9-2 record with a stellar 1.89 ERA and 0.947 WHIP through 15 starts. Remarkably, he has allowed just seven home runs over 95 innings.

Fried has posted three quality starts in June, with only four runs surrendered in 20 innings while walking four and striking out 20. He’s unbeaten at Yankee Stadium, holding a 4-0 record, 1.45 ERA, and 0.900 WHIP in seven outings.

This season, right-handed batters are faring .207/.245/.280 against Fried, and left-handers are hitting .184/.276/.391.

Across three career starts against the Orioles, Fried has maintained a 4.05 ERA and 1.100 WHIP over 20 innings. Notably, on August 20, 2021, he pitched a complete-game shutout at Camden Yards.

Urías has had some success against Fried, going 3-for-8.

Fried’s 1.89 ERA ranks fourth lowest among Yankees pitchers after their first 15 career starts, with Phil Niekro’s 1.71 ERA in 1984 being the record.

Judge dominates the Orioles with an impressive .740 slugging percentage — the highest against them for any player with a minimum of 300 plate appearances. Following him are J.D. Martinez (.697), Albert Belle (.687), Miguel Cabrera (.656), and Vladimir Guerrero (.638).

Since 2023, the Orioles have recorded a 17-12 record against the Yankees. They’ve gone 6-1-1 in their last eight series, winning or splitting five consecutive road series, their best run against the Yankees since a 14-series winning streak from August 1964 to May 1969, as per STATS.

The Orioles have struggled to a 6-15 record against left-handed starters, which includes the openers.

Orioles Lineup

Jordan Westburg 2B
Adley Rutschman DH
Ramón Laureano RF
Ramón Urías 3B
Colton Cowser CF
Gary Sánchez C
Coby Mayo 1B
Dylan Carlson LF
Luis Vázquez SS

Tomoyuki Sugano RHP

Yankees Lineup

Paul Goldschmidt 1B
Trent Grisham CF
Aaron Judge RF
Jazz Chisholm Jr. 3B
Giancarlo Stanton DH
Jasson Domínguez LF
Anthony Volpe SS
Austin Wells C
DJ LeMahieu 2B

Max Fried LHP