It’s incredible, but Shane Baz hasn’t snagged a win in his last twelve starts. Seriously, twelve! He’s been consistently solid, too, letting up three or fewer runs in a crazy 19 of his 26 outings this season. The dude had a 3.68 ERA in June, then a 3.00 ERA in July! August was a little rougher at 4.30, but still, no wins for this guy? It’s mind-boggling, especially with the Orioles scrapping for every edge they can get.
That Extra-Innings Thriller And The Wild Card Hunt
The Birds are fighting tooth and nail for that third and final Wild Card spot, and last night’s 4-3 extra-innings win against the Athletics was a total nail-biter. Brandon Young pitched strong for seven, but the bullpen couldn’t hold a meager 2-0 lead. It took clutch base hits from Coby Mayo and Christian Encarnacion-Strand to seal the deal in extras, getting them that series win and putting them just two games back of the Wild Card. And get this: the lowly Royals did us a massive favor earlier today, absolutely pummeling the Guardians 8-3! That gives the Orioles a chance to pick up yet another game in the standings. These next four games against the A’s and then the Rockies are a “best chance” to grab some “easy wins” and really make a move in this Wild Card race. Every game matters when you’re this close!
The Pitching Duel: Baz’s Unluck, Perkins’ Flaws
Tonight, we’ve got Shane Baz (4.04 ERA, 3.34 FIP) on the bump for the O’s, hoping to finally snap that brutal winless streak. The guy’s been good, but luck has just not been on his side. On the other side, the A’s are throwing 26-year-old righty Jack Perkins at us from Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park. This dude debuted in 2025 and is mostly a swingman. His numbers this season? A pretty ugly 6.68 ERA in 11 starts and 20 relief appearances. Though, his FIP (4.79) and xERA (3.96) suggest he might be a victim of bad defense. He’s way more effective as a reliever (4.76 ERA) than a starter (8.17 ERA). His best weapon is a nasty sweeper with a 36.1% whiff rate, plus a decent changeup and cutter. But watch out for that mid-90s four-seamer; it’s his most hittable pitch by far, getting hammered for a .318 average and .664 slugging against. Plus, Perkins is prone to the long ball (1.69 HR/9), walks (3.79 BB/9), and putting guys on via hit-by-pitch (9 on the year). So, there are definitely opportunities there for the O’s offense!
Who’s Stepping Up For The Birds Tonight?
The lineup tonight is stacked with lefties, looking to take advantage of Perkins’ weaknesses. Jackson Holliday is back in the leadoff spot, and Henderson, hopefully rested after his day off yesterday, is batting third. Dylan Beavers, who’s been hot lately, is back in, and Cowser is patrolling center field. Newly activated Blaze Alexander is sitting this one out. But Coby Mayo, the lefty slayer, is getting a start against the right-handed Perkins anyway, hitting seventh. And Pete Alonso, the team’s “iron man,” is still out there swinging, even with a sore calf. Talk about grit!
Can the Orioles keep climbing that Wild Card ladder and finally get Baz a win? We’ll find out tonight against the A’s, then it’s on to the Rockies, looking for more “easy wins” to make this Wild Card race even tighter. Oh, and speaking of games, the Seattle Mariners fell to the Toronto Blue Jays 3-4 in their own matchup today. Rough one for our boys in blue.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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