Baltimore Orioles vs Boston Red Sox: 5 players to watch

Dylan Bundy, RHP

Bundy was off to a great start this year, but after a red-hot first month, he appeared to have hit the skids. In three starts between April 26 and May 8, he posted a 19.00 ERA across just nine innings.

But just when it looked like Bundy had completely forgotten how to pitch, the righty delivered last Sunday, making one of the best starts of his young career: seven strikeouts and just two hits over seven scoreless innings. Take a look at some of the highlights:

The Orioles’ banner day at the plate — they scored 17 runs — overshadowed Bundy’s strong performance, but a Fenway follow-up would be hard to ignore. The Red Sox have scored 232 runs this year, making them the second-most productive offense in all of baseball. They’re a steady team that rarely slumps, and six of their qualified batters are having above-average seasons according to adjusted OPS.

All of that should provide an ideal litmus test for a pitcher who has been wildly inconsistent this year. Another strong start would bring Bundy out of the doghouse once and for all, but a poor showing would burn Orioles fans who already have little to be optimistic about. Either way, he’s one to keep an eye on.