Earlier than this season, neither the Orioles nor the Rangers had reached the postseason since 2016. They’ve been two of MLB’s prime turnaround groups in 2023. However to ensure that both membership to finish the yr with a World Collection championship, they’ll have to get previous the opposite.
Baltimore and Texas are dealing with off within the American League Division Collection Sport 1 at Camden Yards. It’s solely the second time the groups have met within the postseason, and the primary time in a multigame collection. The O’s defeated the Rangers, 5-1, within the inaugural winner-take-all AL Wild Card Sport in Arlington in 2012.
The Orioles haven’t performed since Sunday, as they went 101-61 within the common season, profitable their first AL East title since 2014 and seizing the AL’s No. 1 seed. In the meantime, the Rangers (90-72) fell in need of a first-place end within the AL West, falling to the No. 5 seed because the second AL Wild Card on the season’s remaining day.
“The secret’s these guys being able to place powerful occasions, powerful losses, streaks, no matter, behind them,” Texas supervisor Bruce Bochy stated, “and this membership did an unbelievable job of doing that.”
Baltimore hasn’t performed a multigame postseason collection since 2014, which was additionally the newest time that Camden Yards hosted a playoff contest.
“Everyone’s going to have big-time butterflies that day, and it’s going to be about having the ability to management your feelings,” Orioles supervisor Brandon Hyde stated. “I feel our guys are made for the second.”
When is the sport and the way can I watch it?
The sport is airing on FS1. The Orioles and Rangers are enjoying within the day’s earliest timeslot as a consequence of a scheduling battle, as Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks are holding a live performance at 7 p.m. ET at M&T Financial institution Stadium, which shares a car parking zone with Camden Yards.
All collection can be found within the U.S. on MLB.TV with authentication to a taking part Pay TV supplier. Video games can be found dwell internationally (besides in Canada). Full sport archives will probably be out there roughly 90 minutes after the sport ends.
Who’re the beginning pitchers?
Rangers: LHP Andrew Heaney
Texas’ prime two starters, Nathan Eovaldi and Jordan Montgomery, are each unavailable after throwing a mixed 13 2/3 innings of one-run ball within the sweep of the Rays, leaving restricted choices for Sport 1 of the ALDS. Texas ended up going with Heaney, who opened the season within the rotation, however fell again to the bullpen after the Commerce Deadline acquisitions of Max Scherzer and Montgomery. Heaney posted a 4.15 ERA this season, however the lefty pitched within the postseason final yr, when he tossed three innings of aid as a member of the Dodgers.
Orioles: RHP Kyle Bradish
Baltimore revealed its Sport 1 starter on Friday, and it was no shock it was Bradish. The 27-year-old right-hander emerged because the clear-cut chief of the rotation in the course of the 2023 season, his second within the massive leagues. Over 30 begins, Bradish had a 2.83 ERA, turning into the primary certified Orioles starter to submit a sub-3.00 ERA since Mike Mussina had a 2.54 mark in 1992.
Bradish allowed one run over 8 1/3 innings in two begins vs. the Rangers in the course of the common season. He exited his April 3 outing at Texas (his 2023 debut) after 1 2/3 innings, after taking a liner off his proper foot.
What are the beginning lineups?
Rangers: Bruce Bochy shocked everyone when he switched up his ordinary lineup towards right-handers in each video games towards the Rays within the Wild Card Collection, going with Robbie Grossman (profession .692 OPS towards RHP) as an alternative of Mitch Garver on the DH spot and within the three gap. Bochy famous pregame that he likes Grossman’s at-bats of late and likes his potential to see extra pitches and draw walks, even when it’s towards a right-hander.
Orioles: Right here’s how the O’s will line up towards the left-handed Heaney.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Rangers: The Rangers’ bullpen ought to be comparatively rested after two days off. José Leclerc has been the crew’s greatest reliever of late after ending September/October with a 1.98 ERA throughout 13 2/3 innings. He tossed a scoreless inning in every of the Wild Card Collection video games. However the bullpen as an entire has been a weak point for Texas this season, because it completed the common season 30-for-63 (47.6 p.c) in save alternatives. Relievers with postseason expertise, like Aroldis Chapman and Will Smith, are certain for use, as are Josh Sborz and Brock Burke. Martín Pérez and Dane Dunning will proceed to be out there because the lengthy aid choices.
Orioles: Thanks to 5 days off, Baltimore’s bullpen is totally recent. The O’s will doubtless have a number of transformed starters to assist cowl the center innings (if wanted), a bunch that might embody Jack Flaherty and one of many three who gained’t be wanted to begin (Kyle Gibson, Dean Kremer or John Means). The Orioles not have All-Star nearer Félix Bautista (partial proper UCL tear), in order that they’ve been closing by committee, with All-Star right-hander Yennier Cano, transformed starter Tyler Wells and a trio of lefties (Danny Coulombe, DL Corridor and Cionel Pérez) factoring into the late-inning combine.
Rangers: The Rangers’ new and improved rotation has been decimated by accidents all season, with Jacob deGrom (proper elbow), Scherzer (proper shoulder) and Jon Grey (proper forearm) all on the IL heading into the postseason. Grey is unlikely to return earlier than a potential ALCS, however Scherzer threw to dwell batters on Friday for the primary time since a Sept. 12 begin towards the Blue Jays. Scherzer stated he must see how he recovers Saturday morning earlier than rosters are due, however he could possibly be an possibility within the ALDS if he and the coaching workers really feel he’s prepared.
Fortunately, Texas’ group of All-Stars — Seager, Eovaldi, Adolis García, Josh Jung and Jonah Heim — have all returned from accidents they handled earlier within the season. The Rangers hope their potent lineup might help cancel out the shortage of rotation arms.
Reliever Jonathan Hernández was left off the postseason roster as a consequence of a proper lat pressure, an harm that Bochy stated was sustained throughout Sport 162, when Hernández tossed one good inning with two strikeouts in Texas’ 1-0 loss to Seattle. It’s unclear whether or not he’ll be out there within the ALDS simply but, however Bochy didn’t appear assured.
Orioles: Bautista is scheduled to endure Tommy John surgical procedure later this month and is predicted to be sidelined till the beginning of the 2025 marketing campaign. It’s a giant loss for Baltimore, which navigated the ultimate 5 weeks of the common season with out its All-Star nearer.
The remainder of the Orioles’ roster is wholesome. Mountcastle missed two weeks in mid-September as a consequence of left AC joint irritation, however the 26-year-old first baseman returned to play within the remaining 4 video games of the common season.
Who’s sizzling, who’s not?
Rangers: Rookie outfielder Carter has launched himself to the broader baseball world with an outstanding Wild Card Collection, ending 3-for-4 with two doubles, a house run and three walks. To no person’s shock, 2020 World Collection MVP Seager additionally received off to a sizzling begin within the postseason, going 4-for-8 towards the Rays.
Lowe struggled to a .165/.305/.248 line over his final 30 video games within the common season, and went simply 2-for-10 towards the Rays.
Orioles: Over the ultimate 10 video games of the common season, two of Baltimore’s hottest hitters have been Rutschman (.400/.512/.629, 5 doubles, one homer, 5 RBIs) and Santander (.310/.341/.452, three doubles, one homer, 11 RBIs). Bradish ended on a 16-inning scoreless streak over his remaining three begins.
A number of key O’s hitters ended the common season in skids: Hays (3-for-27), O’Hearn (0-for-23) and Mullins (2-for-36).