Orioles Game #42 Game Thread: vs. Angels, 6:35

The Orioles continue to have a pretty darn good record. This is not enough to stop people from getting grumpy after losses like last night’s. I get it. The Grayson Rodriguez outing was a real downer, and added to that, it feels like quite a waste to have scored five runs off of Shohei Ohtani and still lost the game by a grand slam. I hope they can halt the losing before dropping a third straight game.

As is true of every game, the starting pitcher will have a lot to do with the chances of the Orioles winning. That’s Dean Kremer tonight. His last two games have been pretty good, with just one run allowed combined across 12 innings pitched against the Braves and Rays. Those are two great offenses so far this season. Kremer has had some rocky outings this year but we can hope, not unreasonably, that the last couple are a sign he’s heading in a more positive direction.

For another game in a row, the Orioles have made a move to summon fresh bullpen reinforcements. After Rodriguez didn’t go deep into the game last night and a number of relievers needed to be used, they wanted some long relief insurance. That’s turned out to be Cole Irvin, erstwhile starting rotation member, who’s done better with his control after a demotion to Norfolk. I hope he’s not needed, like they didn’t end up needing Drew Rom over the weekend, but it’s good they brought him in case.

Orioles lineup

1. Cedric Mullins - CF
2. Adley Rutschman - C
3. Anthony Santander - 1B
4. Austin Hays - LF
5. Gunnar Henderson - 3B
6. Adam Frazier - 2B
7. Terrin Vavra - RF
8. Jorge Mateo - SS
9. Ryan O’Hearn - DH

A lot of days I’ve looked at the Orioles lineup this season, I’ve thought to myself, “Is this really the best they can do?” They’ve won a number of those games, so it’s been working out. Still, here’s that reaction again. Vavra in right field, really? If this is going to happen - and this is now the second straight game it has - it is a lot tougher to defend, say, Colton Cowser remaining in Norfolk with his 1.044 OPS.

Also, O’Hearn had a nice spring training but that’s not carrying over into the regular season in the slightest, so, you know. It would be nice to do something different there. Ryan Mountcastle getting a game off is part of why the lineup looks like this, of course.

Angels lineup

1. Mickey Moniak - RF
2. Mike Trout - CF
3. Shohei Ohtani - DH
4. Taylor Ward - LF
5. Matt Thaiss - C
6. Brandon Drury - 1B
7. Gio Urshela - 3B
8. Luis Rengifo - 2B
9. Zach Neto - SS

The Angels starting pitcher is Chase Silseth, who has pitched in four games this year but yet to make a start. Though Trout and Ohtani are fearsome presences in this lineup, it feels like the Orioles lineup ought to be better than these guys. They weren’t last night, so, you know, hopefully they can change that today.