Baltimore Orioles vs San Diego Padres series preview

After rallying to take two of three games in a series win against the Seattle Mariners, the Orioles keep the west coast road trip going with a jaunt to Southern California, taking on the San Diego Padres for three games.

Baltimore Orioles face San Diego Padres for three game series

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT

The Padres enter the series on yet another downturn, sitting six games under .500 with a 56-62 record, including 3-7 in their last 10 games. They somehow have a +57 run differential despite this, and have lost series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, and Arizona Diamondbacks in August.

The Padres also feature a pair of former Orioles in Manny Machado and Rich Hill. Dean Kremer will get a start this series for the Orioles, and he'll most likely take on the player he was traded for in Machado. The Padres also had Rougned Odor on the roster before DFA'ing and releasing him in July.

SEASON SERIES

All time, the Orioles are 11-10 against the Padres in the regular season, with no postseason meetings between them. The last time they met was in 2019 for a pair of two game series. In Baltimore in June of 2019, the Padres won both games by scores of 8-3 and 10-5. In San Diego at the end of July, the Padres won the first game 8-1 before the Orioles won the finale 8-5 to avoid being swept.

PITCHING PROBABLES

Monday, 8/14: Grayson Rodriguez vs Yu Darvish

The youngster Rodriguez gets the ball in game one for the Orioles. He enters this start with a good run of momentum, getting his ERA down to 5.84, his FIP down to 4.69, and his WHIP down to 1.486 through 74 innings and 15 starts.

His last start came against the Astros at home, in which he allowed two runs on six hits and two walks in six innings, striking out four in a no decision. This start will be the second start against an NL team for Rodriguez, with the Dodgers being the other one.

With the Padres having a down year, Darvish is arguably having one too. He enters this start with a 4.19 ERA, 4.06 FIP, and 1.255 WHIP, averaging exactly three walks per nine and 9.3 strikeouts per nine over 21 starts and 120 1/3 innings.

Tuesday, 8/15: Jack Flaherty vs Michael Wacha

Flaherty enters his third start in an Orioles uniform with this series. Combined across the entire season, he has a 4.33 ERA, 4.12 FIP, and 1.525 WHIP, throwing 120 2/3 innings over 22 starts, averaging 4.3 walks per nine.

Over two starts with the Orioles, Flaherty has allowed four runs, with three of them coming in his last start against the Astros. He has a 3.27 ERA and 1.273 WHIP in those two starts, striking out 16 hitters and allowing one home run.

Wacha, currently on the 15 Day IL, will be activated and starting the middle game for the Padres. Through 15 starts and 85 2/3 innings, Wacha has a 2.84 ERA, 3.72 FIP, and 1.074 WHIP, averaging 7.7 strikeouts per nine and 2.6 walks per nine.

Wednesday, 8/16: Dean Kremer vs TBD

As mentioned before, Kremer will likely get to face Machado, who he was traded for, in the series finale. He enters what would be his 25th start of the season with a 4.50 ERA, 4.96 FIP, and 1.318 WHIP, averaging 2.8 walks per nine and 8.2 strikeouts per nine in 132 innings.

Kremer was awarded a win in his last start, holding the Astros to a pair of runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts in seven innings, improving his record on the season to 11-4 despite his rocky numbers.

The Orioles will have a tall task in Snell in the series finale. He leads the majors with a 2.63 ERA through 130 innings this year. He combines that with a 3.74 FIP and 1.285 WHIP, averaging 5.3 walks per nine and racks up strikeouts with an average of 11.8 strikeouts per nine in 24 starts.

Coming off a series win that gave the Orioles some momentum back after the Astros series, this is a good opportunity to pick up another series win against a team with one of the best on paper rosters but is struggling massively this season. Let's play ball!