Shane Baz will try to back up the confidence that has been expressed in him when he throws a pitch for the Baltimore Orioles for the first time.
That will come with Sunday afternoon’s series finale against the visiting Minnesota Twins.
“I know Orioles fans don’t really know me unless they have seen me playing against them,” Baz said. “You’re just going to get a guy who’s going to give you everything I have every time I get on the field.”
The teams have split the first two games of the series under first-year managers, with the Orioles claiming a 2-1 victory on Thursday and the Twins winning 4-1 on Saturday.
The right-handed Baz (10-12, 4.87 ERA in 31 starts in 2025), is lined up as the starting pitcher in his team debut. He’s coming from the Tampa Bay Rays, with whom he made his major league debut in 2021. In one career matchup against the Twins, Baz took the loss while giving up five runs in 2 1/3 innings.
Baz will go to the mound just two days signing a five-year contract extension for $68 million. The Orioles held a news conference prior to Saturday’s game to discuss the deal and commitment.
“I think we’ve gelled really well to start the year,” Baz said. “Spring was great.”
Baltimore right-hander Zach Eflin was in the Rays organization at the same time as Baz.
“To be able to come full circle in this moment just means the world to him,” Eflin said. “It means the world to us, too. … He’s going to give everything he has.”
To outfielder Colton Cowser, it has been a good fit by adding Baz to the rotation.
“Just welcome Shane with open arms and he has become one of us pretty quickly,” Cowser said.
The Twins have right-hander Bailey Ober (6-9, 5.10 ERA in 27 starts in 2025) ready to begin another season. He has made at least 26 starts in each of the past three seasons with Minnesota.
Ober is 1-1 with a 2.60 ERA in five career starts vs. Baltimore.
The Twins got a two-run homer from Royce Lewis in Saturday’s game, a day after he was replaced by a pinch hitter in the series opener. So he came through when he was back in the lineup.
“There are going to be situations where we’re going to have to hit for guys,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “That’s nothing that any of our guys should or will take personally, but that’s just how the game goes.”
Shelton figures to keep left-handed hitter Kody Clemens in the lead-off spot Sunday with Baltimore using a right-handed starter. Clemens had a run-producing single in Saturday’s game.
Baltimore’s bats have been largely quiet so far. The Orioles have scored a total of three runs in the first two games, but manager Craig Albernaz said he wants the players to play with confidence.
“I want our guys to be aggressive,” Albernaz said. “I want our guys to err on the side of being aggressive.”
The Orioles struck out 16 times and stranded 11 runners on base on Saturday.
“We had really good at-bats,” Albernaz said. “We just couldn’t get the big hit.”
–Field Level Media
