Wednesday night Orioles game thread: vs. Mariners, 7:05

I have thought long and hard about it and have come to the following conclusion: it’s no fun being on the wrong end of a blowout baseball game.

Just one night after whooping the Red Sox by a 10-0 margin, the O’s were losers by that identical score in their D.O.A. homestand opener against the Mariners on Tuesday. the Orioles’ attempt at cobbling together a bullpen game went as poorly as possible, with opener Bryan Baker giving up three quick runs, long reliever/sacrificial lamb Zac Lowther coughing up an additional six, and the O’s offense showing no signs of life against three Mariners pitchers. It was not a memorable night at the ballpark, to put it mildly.

Every time the O’s start getting fans excited again — such as their impressive series win in Boston capped by that Sunday rout — it seems they take another step backward, as evidenced by last night’s futility against a 20-28 Mariners team.

Can the Orioles get back on the right foot tonight? The bad news is they’ll be facing the defending AL Cy Young winner, Robbie Ray. The good news is that this year’s Robbie Ray doesn’t look much like last year’s Robbie Ray, entering the night with a well below-average ERA+ of 78 and an AL-worst 32 earned runs allowed. And the O’s have had his number before, as they roughed him up the last time they faced him in September 2021, during which Ray apparently accused the Orioles of stealing his signs. Drama!

Kyle Bradish will go for the Orioles, looking to bounce back from the worst start of his young career, in which he gave up six runs to the Red Sox without getting out of the second inning. He’ll be working with backup catcher Robinson Chirinos, as Adley Rutschman gets the night off.

Mariners lineup:

LF Jesse Winker
1B Ty France
CF Julio Rodriguez
SS J.P. Crawford
3B Eugenio Suarez
2B Adam Frazier
DH Mike Ford
RF Taylor Trammell
C Cal Raleigh

LHP Robbie Ray

Orioles lineup:

CF Cedric Mullins
1B Trey Mancini
LF Austin Hays
RF Anthony Santander
DH Ryan Mountcastle
3B Ramon Urias
2B Rougned Odor
C Robinson Chirinos
SS Jorge Mateo

RHP Kyle Bradish