Where to watch: MASN/MASN+ or FS1 (National)
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Probable pitchers: RHP Chris Bassitt (3-2, 5.21 ERA, 26 K) vs. RHP Cade Cavalli (1-2, 4.02 ERA, 44 K)
After an incredibly unlucky night for the offense on Friday, the Orioles look to even this season’s first Battle of the Beltways series tonight in DC. Most of Birdland doesn’t want to hear luck as an excuse for another Orioles’ loss, but it was an undeniable part of last night’s 3-2 loss in the District. Baltimore put up a staggering 16 hard-hit balls against Zack Littell and the Nationals’ bullpen—only to be rewarded with six hits and two runs.
Strikeouts and clutch hitting were still ever-present problems for Baltimore in the loss. The O’s struck out 10 times to raise their season total to 414—the fourth-worst mark in baseball. The Birds also went 1-f0r-6 with RISP, as they failed to raise their mediocre season average of .246 with runners on second or third (16th in MLB). Still, their frequency of quality contact would have yielded more runs on a different night and possibly have helped the O’s steal Game 1.
Baltimore will look to right those offensive wrongs tonight against a relatively unknown opposing pitcher. The Nats send 2020 1st-round pick Cade Cavalli to the mound, looking to limit the talented-but-inconsistent Orioles order. The 27-year-old right-hander made his debut in 2022, but only has 20 Major League appearances since then, thanks to two separate Tommy John surgeries.
The Orioles will want to attack Cavalli early and sit on the Oklahoma natives’ big fastball. Cavalli is averaging just 4.5 IP per start this season, and has only completed 5+ innings in four of his starts. The 6’4” righty’s best pitch this year has been his changeup vs. lefties, but his fastball has been hit so hard that it’s hard for him to set up the offspeed pitch. Left-handed batters are hitting .525 with a .750 slugging percentage against the four-seamer that sits in the upper 90s but has below-average movement.
Opposing Cavalli is the frustratingly inconsistent Chris Bassitt. The 37-year-old right-hander has four starts this season in which he has allowed one or fewer earned runs. In his other four starts, he’s allowed 19 combined earned runs and an opponent batting average of .382.
Despite his inconsistent nature, the Orioles seem to win a lot with Bassitt on the mound. Baltimore has won six straight Bassitt starts while scoring an average of 6.8 runs/game in those outings. Bassitt has made two career starts in Nationals Park, both in 2022 with the Mets. The now-Orioles right-hander dominated in those outings, tossing 13 combined shutout innings, while limiting Washington to nine hits and striking out 12. In 21 career innings vs. the Nats, Bassitt has yet to allow a run.
Orioles lineup- Gunnar Henderson (L) SS
- Taylor Ward (R) LF
- Adley Rutschman (S) C
- Pete Alonso (R) 1B
- Samuel Basallo (L) DH
- Tyler O’Neill (R) RF
- Leody Taveras (S) CF
- Coby Mayo (R) 3B
- Jeremiah Jackson (R) 2B
- James Wood (L) RF
- Luis García Jr. (L) 1B
- José Tena (L) 3B
- CJ Abrams (L) SS
- Daylen Lile (L) LF
- Nasim Nuñez (S) 2B
- Keibert Ruiz (S) C
- Jorbit Vivas (L) DH
- Jacob Young (R) CF