Baltimore Orioles series preview vs the Tampa Bay Rays

Following a Father's Day weekend trip to Chicago that resulted in a series loss, the Baltimore Orioles head to Florida for another series in the AL East, taking on the one team ahead of them in the division standings, the Tampa Bay Rays. This is a short series, with only two games set to be played.

Baltimore Orioles return to division play with short series against Tampa Bay Rays

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT

The Rays continue to be the best team in baseball, with over 50 wins entering the series. However, they are a pedestrian 5-5 in their last 10 games, coming off a series loss to the San Diego Padres and a series split with the Oakland Athletics after taking two of three from the Texas Rangers. They enter with a whopping +143 run differential, second in the majors to the Rangers.

SEASON SERIES

The first time the Orioles and Rays met was early in May in Baltimore. The Orioles lost game one 3-0 before winning the next two and the series. Game two was a 4-2 win for Baltimore, with game three going 2-1 in favor of the Orioles.

PITCHING PROBABLES

Tuesday, 6/20: Kyle Bradish vs Tyler Glasnow

Good pitching matchups are on display in this quick series. Bradish is coming off a strong start against the Toronto Blue Jays, allowing one run on four hits in seven innings, but was a tough luck loser as the Orioles only mustered one run on offense. Bradish has a 3.90 ERA, 3.79 FIP, and 1.267 WHIP in 12 starts, totaling 60 innings.

After starting the season on the IL, Glasnow is entering his fifth start of the season. Glasnow has a 3.43 ERA and 1.286 WHIP over 21 innings in four starts this season. He's averaging 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings thus far, so that part of Glasnow's game hasn't changed.

Wednesday, 6/21: Tyler Wells vs Taj Bradley

The finale of the series pits Wells and Bradley against each other. Baseball's WHIP leader allowed two runs on five hits and one walk, striking out eight hitters in 6 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays. On the season, he has a 0.857 WHIP and 3.20 ERA in 14 games, 13 of which have been starts.

Bradley is entering the 10th start of his rookie year. He has a 4.19 ERA but has been a victim of luck as evidenced by a 2.67 FIP. He's thrown 43 innings in his nine starts and has a 1.302 WHIP. He is also racking up the strikeouts, averaging 13.2 strikeouts per nine, and doesn't walk a lot of guys, as evidenced by an average of 3.1 walks per nine.

This series is a good time for the Orioles to right the ship after a series loss, and if they win both games, they'll pull to three games back of the Rays for the AL East lead. Let's play ball!