O's game blog: O's face first-place Twins in series opener

The Orioles' homestand continues tonight at Camden Yards. After the Birds took two of three from Boston over the weekend, winning the last two games, they begin a four-game series against Minnesota.

The Twins (13-9) are a team on a good roll. They are 9-1 since a 4-8 start to their season. They just won two of three from Tampa Bay, taking the last two games versus the Rays by 9-1 and 9-3 scores. Minnesota is now 13-7 against Tampa Bay since July 2018. The Twins' run differential is a plus-32 over the past 10 games.

Minnesota has moved into first place in the American League Central, leading by three games over Cleveland and by 4 1/2 over the Chicago White Sox. The Twins are the fourth current first-place team the Orioles have played. Baltimore went 1-2 versus Milwaukee, 2-4 against the New York Yankees and 2-1 versus the Los Angeles Angels, so 5-7 against the first-place teams.

Minnesota’s rotation ERA of 2.62 is the best in the AL and fourth in the major leagues. The Twins' overall team ERA of 3.15 ranks second in the AL, and its 3.80 bullpen ERA rates 13th. Over the last 10 games, Minnesota pitchers have allowed just 22 runs total and allowed two runs or fewer six times in that span.

The Twins are 3-4 in series openers, 3-3 against the AL East, 5-5 in road games and 8-0 when they outhit their opponent.

The Orioles (8-14) recorded a season high for runs in Sunday’s 9-5 win over Boston that came in the rubber match game and produced their third series win. They are 4-8 versus AL East teams, but 2-2 in AL East series. The O’s had scored just three runs in the first two games of the series against Boston before producing the big number yesterday. Their previous high for runs scored in a home game was five.

The Orioles scored 24 runs their first 12 games and now have 47 in the past 10 games.

Since starting the year 1-5, they are 7-9 and have now won two in a row following a five-game losing streak.

Orioles pitchers have posted a 2.14 ERA in nine home games, the lowest home ERA in the majors. It marks their lowest ERA through the first nine home games of a season since the 2016 team pitched to a 2.09 ERA, and the ninth-lowest ERA through the first nine home games of a season in club history.

According to ESPN Park Factors, Oriole Park has the lowest home run park factor in the big leagues at 0.421. The park factor compares the rate of stats at home compared to on the road, with a rate higher than 1.000 favoring hitters, and a rate below 1.000 favoring pitchers.

O’s starting pitchers have a 1.71 ERA in nine home games, the best mark in the AL and second-best in the bigs, behind only the Dodgers rotation, which boasts a 1.54 ERA in 10 starts at Dodger Stadium. Baltimore’s starters have allowed just one home run at Oriole Park. They are the only starting rotation in the majors to have not allowed multiple home runs at home.

Right-hander Tyler Wells (0-2, 5.54 ERA) will make his fifth start tonight and work in the series opener. He has allowed eight runs over 13 innings and the team is 0-4 in his starts. He did not get a decision last Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, allowing three hits and two runs in five innings on 72 pitches.

Wells' overall numbers were better last year in relief, but of course it’s quite the small sample for 2022. His WHIP last season was 0.912, and now is 1.385. He last year allowed 6.3 hits per nine innings, and that number is 9.7 now. His strikeout percentage has dropped from 29.0 to 17.5. But his groundball rate is way up, from 21.4 last year to 43.9 now. Wells' fastball spin rate ranks in the top six percent in the majors.

Righty Chris Paddack (0-2, 3.68 ERA) gets the ball for the Twins. His ERA is 2.53 his past two starts, with one walk and 10 strikeouts over 10 2/3 innings. The team is 1-2 in his outings and he’s thrown 73, 71 and 87 pitches in those starts.

Paddack won his one career start versus the Orioles, which came on July 29, 2019 for San Diego at Petco Park. Over 5 1/3 he allowed three hits and one run. In three career games against AL East teams, he is 1-2 with a 7.82 ERA.

A few minor league team and player notes: Only high Single-A Aberdeen is still rolling on the O’s farm as the four affiliates now have a combined record one game under the .500 mark.

Triple-A Norfolk (12-12) has lost eight of 10 games after starting the year at 10-4. The Tides went 1-5 last week versus Gwinnett. In the top of the ninth on Sunday, outfielder Christopher Cespedes produced an RBI single to score the second run for the Tides, and it was his first career Triple-A hit and RBI. Cespedes is 1-for-6 in two games for the Tides.

Double-A Bowie (9-11) has been struggling as well, and the Baysox have scored just seven runs in a four-game losing streak. Bowie is 1-7 the past eight games.

Aberdeen (15-5) has the best record on the O’s farm, and that .750 win percentage is tops in the South Atlantic League and the second-best mark in all of high Single-A baseball. Aberdeen has scored 36 runs during a five-game win streak and the IronBirds are 9-2 in the last 11 games.  

Low Single-A Delmarva (6-15) has dropped three in a row and 10 of 11 games.

Best OPS numbers on O’s farm (minimum 50 plate appearances)

1.102 – Hudson Haskin, Bowie

1.080 – César Prieto, Aberdeen

1.021 – John Rhodes, Aberdeen

.994 – Darrell Hernaiz, Delmarva

Prieto today did go on the injured list at Aberdeen with a Grade I right hamstring strain that is expected to be a short-term injury. He leads the O’s organization with seven homers and is batting .328/.378/.701 and adds 17 RBIs.

At extended spring today for the Orioles, catcher Samuel Basallo went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Trendon Craig was 2-for-4 with a double and Anderson De Los Santos was 2-for-4.