The Baltimore Orioles are staring down the barrel, losing five straight games and clinging to their playoff lives, three games back of the Blue Jays for that final Wild Card spot with two teams between them. They are in a truly desperate spot with only 19 games left. But today, they’ve got to face a Red Sox team that is absolutely fired up, and they’re throwing Payton Tolle, the same guy who looked totally gassed against our Mariners just last Monday.
The Bad Blood in Baltimore
Man, the Red Sox are not holding back their feelings about these O’s. After Blaze Alexander’s sketchy slide and then hyping up the crowd on Friday, Boston decided enough was enough. Last night, Isaiah Kiner-Falefa straight up mocked Alexander’s slide, and Sonny Gray didn’t mince words, saying the team wanted to “bury” the Orioles. Talk about a declaration of war! Baltimore’s season is already teetering, and a sixth straight loss could be the absolute final nail in that coffin. You know Boston wants to be the one to hammer it in.
Tolle’s Shot at Redemption, Bradish’s Struggles
So, who’s on the mound for Boston in this heated matchup? It’s Payton Tolle, and he’s got a lot to prove. Just last Monday, Tolle went 5.2 innings against our Seattle Mariners, and honestly, he looked fatigued throughout that outing. Good thing he’s had some extra rest, because he’s gonna need it today with this kind of intensity. The team’s got weekly off days now, so managing the pitching should be simpler. For the Orioles, they’re sending out Kyle Bradish. He actually held the Sox to one run over six innings back in July. But here’s the kicker: his ERA since then is a brutal 5.71 over his last seven starts. That’s not exactly inspiring confidence for a team fighting for their lives.
Boston’s Eye on the Prize
The Red Sox aren’t just playing spoiler, though they’re definitely enjoying it. They’re still 3.5 games behind the Yankees. But hey, they’ve got the Angels and the Royals coming up on the schedule, which looks like a real chance to stack up some wins and close that gap if New York stumbles at all. So, taking care of these struggling O’s today is the immediate priority. In some roster news, Ceddanne Rafaela hit the injured list on September 3rd with a quad sprain, and Nate Eaton got called up to take his spot. Eli White is also getting his fourth straight start in center field.
The Red Sox are looking for a sweep today, hoping to completely crush the Birds and keep their own hopes alive. The game kicks off at 1:35 PM EST, and it’s going to be a must-watch to see if Tolle, refreshed after that outing against our guys, can deliver on Boston’s promise to “bury” the Orioles. For the O’s, it’s pretty much do or die, and you know Boston wants to be the executioner.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Over the Monster.
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