The Baltimore Orioles finally got things going in the right direction against the worst team in baseball.
Now the challenge rises considerably when the Toronto Blue Jays visit for the opener of a four-game series on Monday.
The Orioles have won two in a row after Sunday afternoon’s 5-1 victory against the visiting Colorado Rockies. It’s Baltimore’s first winning streak since July 10-11.
But now the Orioles go from facing the team with the worst record in the majors to facing the team with the best. What’s more, despite the wins over the Rockies, the Orioles are 4-6 since the All-Star break and enter Monday trailing the Blue Jays by 15 1/2 games in the American League East.
Toronto had a four-game winning streak snapped with Sunday’s 10-4 loss at Detroit. The Blue Jays are 8-2 since the break.
Despite their success, the Blue Jays need to improve away from home. They’re 26-26 in road games.
The series will be played over three days as a doubleheader is scheduled for Tuesday.
The teams have split six meetings so far this season but have not played each other since April 13. Back then, the Orioles were considered one of the American League favorites and the Blue Jays weren’t among the favorites entering the season.
That has changed dramatically as Toronto has emerged as a front-runner.
But the Blue Jays are not without their issues. Catcher Alejandro Kirk suffered a concussion Saturday when a foul ball struck his mask, so manager John Schneider said Tyler Heineman will handle a bulk of the catching in Kirk’s absence. The team also called up Ali Sanchez from Triple-A Buffalo.
“He’ll stay with us and rest up,” Schneider said of Kirk, who was placed on the seven-day injured list. “You never really know with a concussion, and we don’t want to take any chances.”
Baltimore is expected to make some roster adjustments, as well, but that has more to do with Thursday’s trade deadline.
“There will be some adversity throughout the week, without a doubt,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino.
Yet catcher Adley Rutschman is expected back after an injury rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Norfolk.
Orioles designated hitter Tyler O’Neill is on a tear with a home run in each of his past three games. He hadn’t done that since 2021 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
“We knew it was only a matter of time, just getting on the field and getting reps,” infielder Gunnar Henderson said. “That was, I feel like, the biggest thing, was just getting out there.”
Right-hander Zach Eflin (6-5. 5.78 ERA) heads to the mound for the Orioles in the opener.
He opened the season with a win over the host Blue Jays on March 27, giving up two runs on two hits over six innings in a 12-2 win. The Jays’ runs came on a two-run homer from Andres Gimenez, who has been out with an injury since July 4.
More recently, Eflin’s only appearance this month came with Wednesday’s 3-2 loss at Cleveland, where he gave up two runs on five hits over five innings.
Eflin is 4-3 with a 5.40 ERA in 10 career games — nine starts — vs. the Blue Jays.
Toronto’s starter will be right-hander Chris Bassitt (11-4, 3.88), who is 4-0 across four starts this month. Along with an inning of relief pitched the day before the All-Star break, Bassitt has a 2.39 ERA in July.
Bassitt picked up a March 30 victory at home against Baltimore by logging six innings and holding the Orioles to one run on eight hits with seven strikeouts.
Bassitt has made nine career starts against Baltimore, notching a 5-3 record and 4.61 ERA in those games.
–Field Level Media
