This interleague matchup is heating up as the San Francisco Giants (72-78, 4th NL West) face off against the Baltimore Orioles (84-66, 2nd AL East). Both teams enjoyed a day off on Monday leading into this crucial series. The first game kicked off on Tuesday night (Note: This article is published prior to Tuesday’s outcomes). The Giants are set to start rookie Hayden Birdsong (4.74 ERA), while the Orioles will counter with Dean Kremer (4.10 ERA). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 EST at Camden Yards in Baltimore.
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Giants Struggle After Home Series
The San Francisco Giants remain mathematically alive in the playoff race, but they are running out of time. Currently, they sit ten games behind the final Wild Card position, with just twelve games left on the calendar. While they will finish in 4th place in the NL West, they are ahead of the Rockies but trailing three teams likely headed for the postseason. Recently, the Giants faced the San Diego Padres at home and suffered a sweep, managing only three runs over the entire series. In an interesting turn of events, Heliot Ramos made history by becoming the first right-handed batter to hit a home run into McCovey Cove during Sunday’s game.
According to ESPN.com, Ramos reflected on his accomplishment post-game, stating, “It looks impossible just by looking at the wall and the weather here. We lost, obviously, but it’s a special day because I did that. It’s a good accomplishment for me.” This home run marked the 21st of his season, adding to his 68 RBIs and a .267 batting average. Ramos played left field and batted second in the lineup. Matt Chapman, who bats right after Ramos, leads the team with 24 home runs and 73 RBIs, sporting a .257 average. Michael Conforto, typically a starter, contributed a sacrifice fly in extra innings to reduce the deficit, boasting 16 home runs and 57 RBIs this season.
Hayden Birdsong, a 23-year-old rookie right-hander, is slated to make his 14th start this season. He holds a 3-5 record and has seen his team lose in his last six outings. With an ERA of 4.74, Birdsong has recorded 68 strikeouts against 36 walks, allowing ten home runs this year. In his last appearance, he pitched five scoreless innings against the Brewers, but the Giants ultimately lost 3-0.
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Orioles Seek Redemption After Series Loss
The Baltimore Orioles have recently experienced a downturn, having lost three consecutive series against American League opponents. They dropped two of three games against the Rays at home and faced defeats on the road against both the Red Sox and Tigers. Currently, the Orioles find themselves three games behind the Yankees in the AL East standings, marking one of the largest gaps they have seen this season. However, they still hold a Wild Card spot and maintain a 2.5-game lead over the next closest competitor, the Kansas City Royals. Their latest game resulted in a loss to Detroit, despite Adley Rutschman hitting a two-run homer in the eighth inning.
Rutschman, batting fifth in the lineup, recently recorded his 19th home run, adding to his 76 RBIs and .254 batting average. The team’s power hitter, Anthony Santander, ranks third in the MLB with 41 home runs, trailing only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. He leads the Orioles with 95 RBIs and has a .241 batting average while batting third as a right fielder. Gunnar Henderson, a promising 23-year-old shortstop, also made headlines with his contributions, hitting 37 home runs, driving in 87 RBIs, and achieving the highest batting average on the team at .282. He is known for his speed on the bases, with 19 stolen bases, only behind Cedric Mullins, who leads the team with 28. Mullins, batting second, has added 17 home runs and 51 RBIs to his record.
Dean Kremer will take the mound for his 23rd start of the season. The 28-year-old right-hander has a record of 7-9 and has seen the team go 2-3 in his last five outings. He holds an ERA of 4.10, with 113 strikeouts against 49 walks, allowing 15 home runs this year. In his previous start, Kremer pitched seven innings, yielding just one run in a loss to the Red Sox.
Top Betting Insights for Giants vs. Orioles
The Orioles may be experiencing a slump, but they are fortunate to face a struggling Giants team that has been held scoreless in three of their last four games. They failed to score in their final game against the Brewers and the first two contests against the Padres, marking a dismal stretch of 27 consecutive innings without a run. Birdsong, the rookie on the mound for San Francisco, has faced challenges as the season progresses, suffering six straight losses. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is below 2:1, and in two of his last three starts, he did not make it past the fourth inning. The Orioles are poised to capitalize on this matchup, knowing the importance of a rebound game as they aim to secure their Wild Card position.
