Sunday afternoon Orioles game thread: at Red Sox, 1:35

Although the Orioles did get the win in a wild game on Saturday night, it wasn’t the finest showing for the pitching staff. Six different relievers had to back up starter Jack Flaherty, who had yet another underwhelming outing. With John Means expected back any day now, that could spell trouble for the team’s prized trade deadline addition. But that’s a discussion for another day.

Today, Brandon Hyde will be hoping that Grayson Rodriguez can give some length and help protect the ‘pen. The O’s have only one scheduled off day the rest of the regular season, and that one doesn’t come for another two weeks. Even with the extra relief arm in tow with expanded rosters, that’s a tall task.

Rodriguez has been tremendous since returning to the big leagues in mid July. Over nine starts he has throw 53.2 innings and has a 2.85 ERA/3.15 FIP in that time. The rookie has completed six or more innings in six of his last seven starts. The only question remaining is how many innings the team will allow him to throw. Is he on a limit? He’s not being managed as if he is. So it seems as though he will stay on track to be part of this groups’s postseason set-up.

The Rays and Mariners get things underway at 1:10 today. That will be another score worth watching. Bryce Miller and Zach Eflin face off there. And also, we can acknowledge that the NFL season is in full swing today. That includes the Ravens hosting the Texans at the same time as this game. There will be no King Solomon tests of love here. You all are capable of watching and caring about two things at once.

Let’s go O’s! Get that sweep.

Orioles Starting Lineup

1. Adley Rutschman, C
2. Gunnar Henderson, SS
3. Anthony Santander, DH
4. Ryan O’Hearn, 1B
5. Cedric Mullins, CF
6. Austin Hays, LF
7. Aaron Hicks, RF
8. Adam Frazier, 2B
9. Ramón Urías, 3B

Grayson Rodriguez, RHP (5-3, 4.91 ERA)

Ryan Mountcastle gets a breather after going 0-for-11 with four strikeouts in the first two games of this series. Besides that, this is the lineup you expect to face a right-handed starter, even if the continued inclusion of Frazier over Jordan Westburg may infuriate portions of the fanbase.

Red Sox Starting Lineup

1. Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
2. Rafael Devers, 3B
3. Justin Turner, DH
4. Triston Casas, 1B
5. Alex Verdugo, RF
6. Trevor Story, SS
7. Wilyer Abreu, LF
8. Luis Urías, 2B
9. Reese McGuire, C

Brayan Bello, RHP (11-8, 3.61 ERA)