The Orioles go for the series win today in Toronto to wrap up the road trip, and they’ve got Samuel Basallo behind the plate.
Basallo is in the lineup for the first time since exiting Friday’s game with discomfort in his right abdomen. He pinch-hit yesterday.
Colton Cowser is in center field and Tyler O’Neill is in right. Blaze Alexander is the third baseman.
Shane Baz has a 4.29 ERA in 12 starts. Four consecutive quality starts lowered it from 5.48.
Baz has allowed seven runs in 27 innings in his last four starts. He’s 4-0 with a 2.23 ERA and 0.990 WHIP in six career starts against the Blue Jays, and he’s allowed four runs in 10 2/3 innings in two appearances at Rogers Centre.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 5-for-15 with a home run against Baz. George Springer is 1-for-12 with a double.
Baz is holding left-handed hitters to a .206 average in his last four starts. They batted .323 in his first eight.
Gunnar Henderson is hitting .353 when making contact on the first pitch and .099 with two strikes.
Leody Taveras has a .801 OPS against right-handers and a .540 OPS versus lefties. He’s on the bench today.
Former Oriole Kevin Gausman is in his free agent season with the Blue Jays. He’s posted a 3.36 ERA and 1.093 WHIP in 13 starts.
Gausman allowed two runs over 17 2/3 innings in three starts before his last outing, when he gave up four runs in over six innings in Atlanta. He owns a 4.53 ERA in eight career starts against the Orioles.
Taylor Ward is 6-for-15 with two doubles and a triple against Gausman. Adley Rutschman, today’s designated hitter, is 4-for-23 with a double. O’Neill is 2-for-14 with a home run.
The Orioles and Blue Jays are tied for third place and a half-game out of the Wild Card. The Orioles return home after today and begin a four-game series against the Mariners. Toronto hosts the Phillies.
The Mariners are starting right-handers Emerson Hancock, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and Bryan Woo. The Orioles haven’t listed their starters, perhaps while waiting to determine Chris Bassitt’s availability on Monday.
For the Orioles
Taylor Ward LF
Gunnar Henderson SS
Adley Rutschman DH
Pete Alonso 1B
Samuel Basallo C
Colton Cowser CF
Tyler O’Neill RF
Jackson Holliday 2B
Blaze Alexander 3B
Shane Baz RHP
For the Blue Jays
George Springer DH
Yohendrick Piñango RF
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B
Jesús Sánchez LF
Ernie Clement 2B
Brandon Valenzuela C
Kazuma Okamoto 3B
Andrés Giménez SS
Myles Straw CF
Kevin Gausman RHP
