Orioles Adjust Lineup Against Yankees as Series Kicks Off

NEW YORK – The Baltimore Orioles are set to face off against the New York Yankees tonight as they kick off a critical series at Yankee Stadium. The game, starting at 7:05 p.m. ET, will see the Orioles utilize a right-handed lineup, benching popular players like Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Ryan O’Hearn, and Cedric Mullins.

Jordan Westburg will lead off while playing second base. Ramón Urías, who will handle third base, has been placed in the cleanup spot. Luis Vázquez takes over as shortstop and Coby Mayo returns to first base. Adley Rutschman is designated to bat as the team’s DH.

Henderson, who has built a hitting streak of 13 games, is just one game shy of his career high. He has an impressive .396 batting average, along with seven RBIs and nine runs scored during this stretch. Rutschman boasts a .317 career average against the Yankees, ranking him third among active players with at least 150 plate appearances.

Mullins has also excelled against left-handers, sporting a .302/.422/.509 batting line. His .931 OPS against lefties is the highest of his career and leads the Orioles.

On the mound for the Orioles, Tomoyuki Sugano will make his 15th start of the season. He holds a 3.38 ERA and a 1.138 WHIP over 80 innings. However, Sugano has struggled in his last two outings, failing to complete five innings in either. When he last faced the Yankees on April 28, he threw five scoreless innings while striking out eight.

The Yankees enter this matchup after a struggle, having lost six consecutive games and experiencing three consecutive shutouts before redeeming themselves with a 7-3 victory against the Angels yesterday. Currently, they lead the American League East with a 43-31 record, including a strong home performance of 22-15.

Max Fried, the Yankees’ left-handed pitcher, has made a significant impact this season, with a 9-2 record and an impressive 1.89 ERA over 15 starts. He has only allowed seven home runs in 95 innings pitched and is 4-0 at Yankee Stadium with a 1.45 ERA in his most recent outings.

Interestingly, the Yankees’ star player Aaron Judge has a recorded .740 slugging percentage against the Orioles, the highest among active players who have faced them 300 times. The Orioles have gone 17-12 against the Yankees since 2023 and are looking to consolidate their position by getting within nine games of .500 for the first time since May 11.

As the teams prepare to clash, closer Félix Bautista will celebrate his 30th birthday, possibly making history as the first Oriole to secure a save on multiple birthdays.