Orioles Seek Revival against Nationals in Upcoming Series

Baltimore, MD — The Baltimore Orioles hope to revive their struggling season against their local rivals, the Washington Nationals, starting this weekend. Having lost nine of their last 11 games, the Orioles find themselves tied with the Nationals in the loss column at 26.

Since their rebuild began in 2019, the Orioles have aimed to be a competitive team again, yet they are currently in a slump. Conversely, the Nationals are feeling optimistic as they are building a strong roster around young stars like outfielder James Wood and pitcher MacKenzie Gore.

During the last five seasons, the Orioles have dominated the series with a 16-8 record against the Nationals. However, the tables turned last month in Washington when the Nationals won two out of three games, limiting Baltimore to just five runs across those games.

Tonight’s Game 1 will feature young left-handers, with Cade Povich starting for the Orioles and MacKenzie Gore for the Nationals. Povich previously outperformed Gore, throwing 6.2 innings of one-run baseball in their last meeting. Despite Povich’s struggles at home with a 7.94 ERA, he faces a lineup of left-handed hitters, which could work in his favor.

On the other hand, MacKenzie Gore is establishing himself as an All-Star contender this season. His impressive breaking balls have made it challenging for lefties, and he will likely face an Orioles lineup stacked with right-handed hitters.

The series continues on Saturday with Kyle Gibson and Jake Irvin as the probable pitchers. Gibson, struggling this year, has allowed seven home runs in just 11.2 innings. Irvin, however, has shown a capacity for throwing strikes, which may benefit Baltimore hitters like Ryan O'Hearn, who excels against curveballs.

Finally, on Sunday, Zach Eflin will start for Baltimore against Michael Soroka of the Nationals. Eflin, who seeks to continue his strong performance post-injury, will face a lineup that has hit well against cutters this season.

As the series unfolds, the Orioles hope to regain their momentum and improve upon their recent performances against a rival team that seems to be on the rise.