Vanessa: Pete Alonso just hit his forty-first home run of the season on his son Teddy’s first birthday. He changed his walk-up music, he lit up the stadium, and he dragged the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-3 victory over the Blue Jays last night. But don’t get too comfortable. The party is over. Tomorrow night, they fly to New York.
Nick: It’s a brutal schedule finish. After winning that series against Toronto, the O’s are now facing the best team in baseball. We’re talking about the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. This isn’t just any late-season tune-up; it’s a test of whether this roster can compete with the elite when the stakes actually matter.
Vanessa: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network, where we live for the game. I’m Vanessa, and I’m here with Nick. If you’re new here, you’ve found America’s number one daily sports podcast network. We break down the Orioles’ every single day.
Nick: Hey everyone. Good to be back. It’s been a wild week in Baltimore. We predicted the Orioles would win two out of three against Toronto, and thanks to Pete Alonso carrying the load, we got that right. Now, we look ahead to New York.
Vanessa: Here is what we are covering today. First, we’ll talk about the pitching matchup and who starts for Baltimore in this opener against the Yankees. Second, we’ll dive into the injury report—that list is getting longer—and how it impacts the lineup. And third, we’ll give you our keys to the series and a bold prediction for tomorrow’s game.
Nick: Right. The record stands at 78-81. They are fourth in the AL East. But looking at the standings feels irrelevant when you’re playing the Yankees. Let’s get into it.
Vanessa: Okay, let’s start with the big question. Who is on the mound for Game One? The rotation has taken a beating all year. We know Chris Bassitt, Shane Baz, Trey Gibson, Trevor Rogers, and Brandon Young are the starters on paper. But who do you think gets the nod?
Nick: This is tricky. You have to look at recent usage. Shane Baz pitched recently, but remember, he was on the 15-day IL earlier in the context of this season's narrative, though he seems healthy now. However, for a high-leverage game like this against the Yankees, I’d lean towards Chris Bassitt or Trey Gibson. Bassitt gives you veteran stability.
Vanessa: I agree. Bassitt makes sense if he’s fresh. But Nick, we talked about Shane Baz yesterday. Remember our prediction? We said Baz would go at least five innings in the opener against Toronto. Did he?
Nick: He did. And he was effective. So, if Baz is available and ready to go again, why not use him? The Yankees lineup is tough, but Baz has shown he can handle pressure. That said, if the bullpen is tired from the Toronto series, they might want to save Baz for a potential Game Three.
Vanessa: That’s a good point. Pitch count management is huge right now. If they go with Trevor Rogers, it’s a gamble. Rogers has been inconsistent. But if they need to rest the arms, maybe they go with Brandon Young. What do you think about the Yankees' side? They are going to bring their ace.
Nick: Obviously. The Yankees are going to throw their best pitcher. That means the Orioles’ starter needs to miss bats. With Alonso in the mix, there’s some hope, but generally, you need quality starts from your own staff. If the Orioles’ starter doesn’t go deep, the bullpen is going to be exposed.
Vanessa: And speaking of the bullpen, that brings us to the next segment. The relief corps is under the microscope. Felix Bautista is the closer, but he’s been busy. Yennier Cano, Andrew Kittredge, Rico Garcia—they’ve all been eating innings.
Nick: Exactly. And we have to talk about the injuries. This roster is decimated. Ryan Mountcastle is out for the season on the 60-day IL. Anthony Santander is also on the 60-day IL. Jonatan Clase is out too. Blaze Alexander is on the 10-day IL. Luis Urias is on the 10-day IL.