BALTIMORE – The weekend series pitting the Baltimore Orioles against the Cincinnati Reds delivered pitching drama as a rookie faced one of baseball's top arms. The Saturday afternoon Orioles game thread highlighted the stark contrast on the mound.
Cincinnati sent 2024 All-Star Hunter Greene to the hill. Greene entered the game with a dominant 0.98 ERA through four starts, allowing only three runs in 27.2 innings this season. He leads MLB in pitcher WAR, ERA+, WHIP, and hits allowed per nine innings, presenting a formidable challenge.
Baltimore countered with right-hander Brandon Young, making his major league debut. Young, an undrafted free agent signed in 2020, earned the start after strong showings in Triple-A and Double-A last season and two scoreless starts this year before a recent rough outing. He was called up to fill an injured rotation spot.
The series opened with the Orioles and Reds lineups for series opener featuring key players on both sides. For the Orioles, Adley Rutschman batted leadoff in the first game, with Gunnar Henderson second and Cedric Mullins fifth. Tyler O'Neill returned to the lineup after missing time with neck discomfort.
Orioles third baseman Jordan Westburg worked to break an 0-for-24 slump during the series. Meanwhile, Cedric Mullins showed offensive strength, leading the team outright in hits, homers, RBIs, and walks entering the weekend. He held a strong .500 average with runners in scoring position compared to the rest of the team's .214 mark.
The Orioles entered the Reds Vs Orioles matchup holding a significant streak, having not been swept in their last 28 series. This tied the Padres for the longest active streak in major league baseball.
In the series opener, covered in the Cincinnati Reds are in Baltimore, the Reds' Andrew Abbott started against the Orioles' Cade Povich. This game came after a stinker of a game for the Orioles earlier in the week, adding pressure for the team to perform against the Reds.
The Reds Vs Orioles series put the Orioles' struggling offense to test against elite pitching, while Young's debut offered a look at potential future rotation options.
