Orioles-Athletics series preview: The AL West leaders come to Baltimore
In 2025, the Orioles and the Athletics had been largely the identical workforce. They completed inside one sport of one another (75 vs. 76 wins). They every sported younger, promising stars—Gunnar Henderson for the O’s and Nick Kurtz for the A’s. And they had been each largely undone by inconsistent pitching, with Baltimore ending twenty sixth in ERA at 4.60 and the City-less Athletics ending twenty seventh at 4.70.
Given the offseasons the 2 groups had, if somebody had to guess which workforce would come into this series in first place, most would’ve guessed the Orioles. Instead, Baltimore is available in sporting a 17-21 report that has them in third within the AL East, whereas the Athletics are 19-18 and sit a sport and a half forward of the Mariners for first within the AL West.
Neither workforce has been nice of late, with the Orioles going 4-6 of their final 10 and the A’s 5-5. Baltimore comes into Friday’s series opener recent off a stinging, walk-off loss to the Marlins in Miami, whereas the A’s demolished the Phillies 12-1 of their series finale Thursday.
Despite the Sacramento residents coming into Baltimore with a profitable report, they’re largely the same caliber workforce to the O’s. Heading into Thursday’s video games, they’d the Seventeenth-ranked offense at 4.25 runs/sport and the Twenty fourth-ranked pitching workers with a 4.67 ERA. The Orioles thus far have been a greater offensive workforce (eleventh with 4.62 runs/sport) however a considerably worse pitching workforce (twenty ninth with a 4.88 workforce ERA).
Both the A’s and O’s have outperformed their anticipated WL information by one sport, and each come into Baltimore with one thing to show. The Orioles need to show they will beat good groups and solidify themselves as playoff hopefuls. The Athletics need to show that their begin is not a fluke and that they’ve endurance in an AL West that is been largely disappointing.
The Orioles misplaced their season series to the A’s final yr, 4 video games to 2, with the Athletics profitable each series. If Baltimore needs to keep away from the identical destiny in 2026, they’re going to want to decelerate A’s catcher Shea Langeliers. The former first-round decide has been the A’s offensive catalyst the primary six weeks of the season, slashing .336/.390/.627 whereas main the Athletics with 45 hits, 10 residence runs and 24 runs scored. Langeliers’ profession report towards the O’s—.197 common, .672 OPS—is not something particular, however he does have 5 homers in 16 video games vs. Baltimore.
The artists previously primarily based in Oakland will want to try to decelerate Oriole sluggers Samuel Basallo and Pete Alonso. Since the beginning of the Yankees series, the Polar Bear and the massive backstop are a mixed 17-for-49 (.347) with three homers, six doubles, a triple and 13 RBIs.
Game 1, Friday, May eighth, 7:05pm ET
Where to watch: MASN/MASN+
Likely pitchers: RHP Kyle Bradish (1-4, 5.03 ERA, 35 Okay) vs. LHP Jacob Lopez (2-2, 6.60 ERA, 23 Okay)
Bradish has simply been the Orioles’ most disappointing starter this season, with just one high quality begin in his first seven outings and an entire lack of sharpness in how he is pitching. Bradish’s 21 walks are the sixth-most of any main league pitcher, and if he had sufficient innings to qualify, his 1.82 WHIP can be the second-worst mark within the bigs. His final begin towards the Yankees was his worst of the yr, taking the loss after placing up 4 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 Okay and a pair of HR.
Bradish dominated the A’s the one time he confronted them, incomes the W in a 12-1 Orioles’ win again in 2023. Perhaps higher remembered as “the game Gunnar Henderson could’ve hit for the cycle, but decided not to,” Bradish pitched six scoreless innings that afternoon, permitting solely two hits and punching out eight.
Opposing Bradish on Friday is without doubt one of the solely pitchers presently pitching worse than him, A’s left-hander Jacob Lopez. The lefty has had a few of the worst command in all of baseball, as his 6.6 BB/9 can be the worst mark within the huge leagues if he certified. Lopez can be coming off his worst begin of the yr, having surrendered six runs on eight hits over 5.1 IP in a 14-6 loss to the Guardians. Despite beginning his profession in Tampa, Lopez has confronted the O’s solely as soon as earlier than, tossing 4 innings and permitting only one unearned run in a 5-1 A’s win final season.
Game 2, Saturday, May ninth, 4:05pm ET
Where to watch: MASN/MASN+
Likely pitchers: RHP Shane Baz (1-3, 4.99 ERA, 33 Okay) vs. RHP Aaron Civale (3-1, 2.95 ERA, 27 Okay)
Saturday afternoon’s matchup looks as if a pitching mismatch on paper, because the struggling Shane Baz takes on the surging Aaron Civale in entrance of the Camden Yards devoted. Like Bradish, Baz was shelled within the Bronx in his final outing. The 26-year-old completed with a line of 5.2 IP, 5 H, 6 R (5 ER), 5 BB, 4 Okay and 1 HR in a sport the Yankees received 12-1. We’ve seen extra good from Baz this season than Bradish, however the lows are equally as low, with former Ray struggling to generate the variety of whiffs we count on from good Shane Baz.
Baz confronted the A’s twice final yr, going seven innings every time, placing up a 4.50 ERA and racking up a mixed 18 Ks. The Orioles would love to get that sort of size and strikeout numbers, as they’re going to want the Baz we noticed towards Pittsburgh and Houston if he is going to out-duel Civale and the A’s.
The Northern California squad counters the Orioles’ former Ray with a former Ray of their very own within the cutter-happy Civale. The 30-year-old has maybe been one of many luckiest pitchers in baseball this season, posting a 2.95 ERA in seven begins, regardless of an anticipated ERA of 4.19 and one of many worst hard-hit charges in baseball. In his final begin vs. Cleveland, Civale scattered seven hits over six innings, permitting just one run in a 7-1 A’s win.
The Orioles dominated the soft-tossing Civale in his Tampa days, tagging him for a 5.81 ERA in 5 begins with eight residence runs. The right-hander did have a strong outing the final time he pitched in Camden Yards, scattering six hits over 5.1 innings whereas limiting the Orioles to only one run. The O’s greatest weak spot offensively is their propensity for strikeouts, which should not be a problem towards Civale and his 6.6 Okay/9 price.
Game 3, Sunday, May tenth, 1:35pm ET
Where to watch: MASN/MASN+
Likely pitchers: RHP Chris Bassitt (2-2, 5.91 ERA, 20 Okay) vs. RHP Luis Severino (2-3, 4.15 ERA, 43 Okay)
The Sunday matinee pits two veteran pitchers towards one another, with one attempting to rediscover his greatest kind and the opposite having fun with a latest sizzling streak. It regarded just like the Orioles had been lastly getting good Chris Bassitt when the previous All-Star pitched 6.2 innings of one-run ball in a win over Houston eight days in the past. However, the 37-year-old adopted that up with a 4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER efficiency towards the Marlins, which as soon as once more had him trying just like the 2026 model of Charlie Morton.
Despite being a former A, Bassitt has confronted off towards the California membership a lot, sporting a 4.20 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 45 profession innings vs. the Athletics. The proper fought in his final begin vs. the A’s, permitting 5 runs over 5 innings final season in Toronto.
Opposing Bassitt might be a well-known foe in former Yankee Luis Severino. The right-hander’s final journey to Camden Yards was a memorable one for Orioles followers, because the O’s tagged Severino for seven runs within the 1st inning, finally chasing him within the 4th after he gave up 10 hits and 9 earned runs. Severino will hope his present sizzling streak can assist him overcome his profession 4.89 ERA at Camden Yards. The 32-year-old has allowed just one earned run in every of his final three begins, posting a 1.45 ERA over 18.2 IP whereas placing out 16.
Can the O’s do what they failed to do in Miami and sweep the A’s out of Baltimore? Or will the City-less Athletics make themselves really feel at residence in Baltimore and push the O’s additional away from .500? Let us know within the feedback.
