Spencer Miles (2-0, 2.16) gets the ball for Toronto opposite Kyle Bradish (2-6, 3.86) in a 12:15 PM ET first pitch at Camden Yards. Miles has mostly worked out of the pen this year but is stretched out enough to give Toronto a real start; Bradish has actually pitched well lately with nothing to show for it, having allowed just 3 earned runs over his last 2 outings.
This series has been absurd. Every game decided by a run, every winning run scored in the 8th or 9th. Toronto came back from 5 down on Friday, Baltimore answered Saturday by sending 8 straight batters to the plate in a 5-run 9th to walk it off 6-5. The split-the-difference rubber game is the only fair outcome left, and somebody's going to leave Camden Yards angry.
The Blue Jays are still 8-3 over their last 11 even with that Saturday gut-punch. Vlad Jr. has pushed his average to .305 with 4 multi-hit games in his last 6, and Nathan Lukes is 7-for-16 since coming off the IL. Bradish, for his part, hasn't seen Toronto in over 2 years (May 2024) and owns a 5.18 ERA in 8 career starts against them with 6 homers allowed in 40 innings. The matchup history isn't kind.
Toronto is also navigating one of the gnarlier injury sheets in the league. Scherzer is finally heading to Triple-A Buffalo for a rehab start, Bieber is building back up in the FCL, but Dylan Cease (hamstring), Berrios (Tommy John), Kirk (thumb), and Barger (elbow) are all out. Baltimore's not exactly whole either — Mountcastle, Westburg, Eflin, Kremer, and closer Felix Bautista are all on the shelf, and catcher Samuel Basallo tweaked a pec in that 9th-inning rally Saturday.
- Day-To-DayGeovanny Jesus Planchart C — no
- Day-To-DayChay Yeager RP — Yeager will undergo season-ending UCL surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- Day-To-DayCJ Stubbs C — The Blue Jays signed Stubbs to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training.
- Day-To-DayJaven Coleman P — no
- 10-Day-ILAddison Barger RF — Barger (elbow) has been hitting in the batting cage at Toronto's complex in Dunedin, Florida, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- 10-Day-ILLenyn Sosa 2B — Sosa went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, an additional run and an additional RBI on Saturday against the Twins in an 11-4 victory.
- 15-Day-ILDylan Cease SP — Cease (hamstring) is throwing a bullpen session of 25-to-30 pitches Saturday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- 15-Day-ILJoe Mantiply RP — Mantiply will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair some damage in his left knee, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- Day-To-DaySamuel Basallo C — Basallo tweaked a pectoral muscle during his plate appearance in the ninth inning of Saturday's 6-5 win over the Blue Jays, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
- Day-To-DayLevi Wells P — Wells underwent successful core-muscle surgery Thursday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
- Day-To-DayRichard Guasch SP — no
- Day-To-DayWill Robertson LF — The Orioles reassigned Robertson to minor-league camp Wednesday, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
- Day-To-DayLuis Vazquez SS — Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said Monday that Vazquez has been diagnosed with a broken right thumb, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILDylan Beavers RF — Beavers (oblique) hit in the batting cage Wednesday, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
- 15-Day-ILRyan Helsley RP — Helsley (elbow) threw 15-to-20 pitches in a bullpen session Saturday and may be nearing a minor-league rehab assignment, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILCade Povich SP — Povich (elbow) met with Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday and is without an official timetable for his return after receiving a cortisone injection, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
The market reads this one close: Pinnacle has Baltimore -118 with the total parked at 8.5. Given the way the first 3 went, the under feels like wishful thinking and the moneyline is a coin flip with a Bradish-shaped tilt. Spencer Miles facing this lineup for the first time is the wildcard — Orioles hitters have zero book on him, but he's also never seen this kind of lineup turning over 3 times. Whoever blinks late, again, loses.