Sunday afternoon Orioles game thread: vs Red Sox, 1:05

The Orioles did not exactly put their best foot forward last night, losing 17-4 in a game that eventually saw Ryan McKenna take the mound. That loss pushed them to five games back of the AL’s final wild card spot, a gap they haven’t experienced since July.

It was an ugly game that you wouldn’t expect a “playoff contender” to put forth in mid-September. But ultimately it has the same impact on the Orioles’ playoff hopes as a 1-0 loss would have. At least you could turn off last night’s game relatively early and do something else with your Saturday evening.

Today brings with it another battle for your attention. Identical start times for the Orioles, Ravens, and Commanders likely means that for, many readers of this site, your TV remote will be getting a serious workout.

The decision of which team gets more attention could become easier over the next week. The Orioles really need to go on a winning streak to stay close in the playoff race. Winning today to take this series from the Red Sox feels like a requirement, as does a quick sweep of the Nationals mid-week.

But first things first: Stay dry, get Kyle Bradish back on track, and snag the win today, hopefully while a few other teams lose.

Orioles Starting Lineup

1. Ryan McKenna, CF
2. Anthony Santander, RF
3. Ryan Mountcastle, 1B
4. Ramon Urías, 3B
5. Jesús Aguilar, DH
6. Austin Hays, LF
7. Jorge Mateo, SS
8. Rougned Odor, 2B
9. Robinson Chirinos, C

Kyle Bradish, RHP (3-5, 5.30 ERA)

Red Sox Starting Lineup

1. Tommy Pham, LF
2. Alex Verdugo, RF
3. Xander Bogaerts, SS
4. Rafael Devers, 3B
5. Trevor Story, 2B
6. J.D. Martinez, DH
7. Triston Casas, 1B
8. Enrique Hernández, CF
9. Connor Wong, C

Rich Hill, LHP (6-6, 4.79 ERA)