Wednesday night Orioles game thread: at Athletics, 6:07

There is seemingly nowhere to go but up for the Orioles offense. Through 11 games, the bats have scored just 23 runs for an average of 2.09 runs/game. Somehow, there is a team worse than that (Diamondbacks, 22 runs in 11 games), but that does not make it any less apalling.

This series in Oakland has been especially egregious with just two runs scored in 18 innings. Perhaps the bats can find their groove agains 26-year-old righty Daulton Jeffries. He falls on the “crafty” side of the scale, possessing five different offerings, including a fastball that averages 93 mph.

Jeffries’ strikeout rate to this point is just 10.5%, and his expected batting average against is .344. He pitches to contact, which should work to the benefit of the Orioles, who possess the worst strikeout rate (28.2%) in the sport, but do well when putting the ball in play (.298). It would just be nice to see the ball in play a tad more often.

Us east coasters have been blessed with the weather forecast in Oakland this evening. Impending showers required the start time to move up nearly four hours. The two teams have to get this game in now as their schedules won’t allow for any convenient make up dates later in the season.

The west coast trips are always brutal for me. If I’m not recapping a game, I’m lucky to catch an inning or two before my eyes get heavy, and I begin sinking into my couch. So this 6 p.m. start time is dandy in my book.

Orioles Starting Lineup

1. Cedric Mullins, CF
2. Anthony Santander, LF
3. Trey Mancini, 1B
4. Ryan Mountcastle, DH
5. Rougned Odor, 2B
6. Robinson Chirinos, C
7. Ryan McKenna, RF
8. Kelvin Gutiérrez, 3B
9. Chris Owings, SS

Jordan Lyles, RHP (0-1, 5.23 ERA)

Athletics Starting Lineup

1. Tony Kemp, 2B
2. Sheldon Neuse, 3B
3. Sean Murphey, DH
4. Billy McKinney, RG
5. Seth Brown, LF
6. Christian Bethancourt, C
7. Elvis Andrus, SS
8. Stephen Vogt, 1B
9. Cristian Pache, CF

Daulton Jeffries, RHP (1-1, 1.93 ERA)