:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60586107/usa-today-8719396.0.0.0.jpg)
Anibal Sanchez and Kevin Gausman were both multi-inning relievers in Game 2 of the 2014 ALDS. Today, they're starting a game against one another on Adam Jones' birthday. This probably does not mean a damn thing. Baseball is just full of funny and meaningless coincidences, like the fact that Gerardo Parra will be the 1000th Oriole in history when he appears in this game. Here's hoping he celebrates being #1000 by doing something awesome every day for the next three months.
What the Orioles could really use - which they could use any day of the week, really - is a good starting pitching performance. They have not gotten one yet this series, despite a depleted Detroit lineup. The Tigers bullpen is still the Tigers bullpen, but you've got to have your starter keep it close, and you've got to have your hitters chase the Tigers starter early enough to get into the crappy parts of the bullpen. Is that going to happen? I don't know. Remember, I know even less than Jon Snow.
One thing I can tell you is that Sanchez has been bad in 2015, although he has eaten innings while being bad. He's wearing a 4.61 ERA for the season, yet still sporting a 10-8 record, a shining reminder that there is no justice in the baseball universe. Cleveland's Corey Kluber, for instance, with an ERA 1.17 points lower, has a 6-11 record.
The Orioles lineup troll game is strong, as you can see. Despite finally trading for a real outfielder, the defensive configuration we get in the first lineup with Parra in it still sees Chris Davis in right field. That's because Matt Wieters is playing first base. What could possibly go wrong?