The Red Sox head into Camden Yards trying to stop the skid and steady themselves in a big American League East series against the Orioles.
Boston has dropped three of four to the Yankees on the road, then lost a series to the Mariners at Fenway Park, capped by Wednesday night’s 8-3 defeat. At 75-65 with 22 games left, the Red Sox still hold a comfortable spot in the Wild Card picture, sitting 4 1/2 games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians for the No. 3 spot.
Baltimore, meanwhile, is trying to claw back into the race. The Orioles are 1 1/2 games behind Cleveland and six behind Boston, which makes this three-game set matter plenty for both sides.
Boston will open the series with Brennan Bernardino on Thursday, then send left-hander Garrett Crochet out Friday, followed by Garrett Gray on Saturday.
Bernardino comes in after one of his sharpest outings of the season. On Aug. 29, he fired six scoreless innings against the Yankees, struck out seven and allowed only three hits. That followed another strong performance on Aug. 23, when he went seven innings against the San Francisco Giants and gave up three runs.
Suárez, on the other hand, is looking to bounce back. He faced the Yankees on Aug. 30 and was tagged for six runs over 5 1/3 innings.
Through 24 starts, he owns a 3.64 ERA across 123 2/3 innings. Still, the recent stretch has been rough: a 5.72 ERA over his last six starts in 28 1/3 innings, with a 16-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Gray was pushed back in the rotation during Boston’s last turn through. He had been lined up to pitch Tuesday against Seattle, but Jedixson Páez got the start instead and was hit for eight runs in the loss.
Gray has been the Red Sox’s top starter this season, carrying a 2.82 ERA in 25 starts. Boston gave him extra rest and made it clear the move was about keeping him healthy, and he’s now set to return on Saturday.
In Other News...
Orioles History Still Carries A Painful Eddie Murray Reminder
Eddie Murray remains one of the most important hitters in Orioles history, a Hall of Famer who spent 12 seasons in Baltimore and helped drive the club to its 1983 World Series title. For a franchise that has leaned on its legends as part of its identity, Murrays place in the picture is secure because of everything he produced on the field, including the steady excellence that made him a multiple Silver Slugger winner.
Still, the story of Murray and the Orioles is not only about the highlights. His relationship with ownership soured in the mid-1980s, and by 1988 he was dealt to the Dodgers, a split that left a lingering sting for a player and a fan base that had watched him become a cornerstone. Murray did eventually return to Baltimore in 1996 after things improved, but the memory of how it ended the first time is still one of the more painful reminders in team history. [Read more 🡒]
Trey Mancini Gets The Orioles Ending Baltimore Fans Wanted
Trey Mancinis return to Baltimore this week carried the kind of symmetry Orioles fans could appreciate. He signed a ceremonial one-day contract so he could retire as a member of the team that first made him a favorite, a neat ending for a player whose time in Baltimore meant far more than a box-score line ever could. For a franchise that has spent years reconnecting with its past while pushing toward its future, the gesture fit the moment perfectly.
Mancinis place in Orioles memory was already secure, but the one-day deal gives the story a cleaner finish and a sense of closure for the fan base that watched him become one of the clubs most respected figures. It is the sort of move that does not change a standings race or alter a roster, yet still matters because it speaks directly to the relationship between a player and a city, and Baltimores appreciation for one of its most enduring recent stars. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Face One Defining Question About Elias After Front Office Shakeup
The Orioles 1-0 loss to the Brewers on a day meant to honor Trey Mancinis retirement as an Oriole was a reminder of how much attention is now shifting from the field to the people building the roster. Mike Elias said he and manager Craig Albernaz are expected back next season, but the organization is also continuing a front office search that could reshape the structure around them.
What makes the situation worth watching is the direction of that search. Baltimore is looking for a new general manager with a player development background, a clue that the club wants to reinforce the pipeline even as it absorbs recent changes, including the departure of director of player development Matt Blood and a title adjustment for analytics executive Sig Mejdal. The next hire may say as much about how the Orioles see themselves as anything Elias has said publicly so far. [Read more 🡒]