First pitch at Camden Yards is 5:35 PM CT (6:35 PM ET), with Kirby (5-5, 4.04) opposite Brandon Young (4-1, 3.47). On paper that's a Young edge, and the price agrees — but the line has actually drifted toward Seattle, with the Mariners money line ticking from -119 down to -104 as sharp money landed on the visitors.
Kirby's bottom line still says competent middle-of-the-rotation arm, but the recent tape is ugly: he's coughed up more than 3 earned runs in 4 straight starts, totaling 17 ER over 21 innings, and got chased after 4 innings against the Mets in his last outing. Young, by contrast, has been the steadiest thing about Baltimore's rotation — the O's have won 8 of his 9 starts, and he's gone at least 6 with 3 runs or fewer in 3 in a row.
The vibes around the home dugout are bleak. Baltimore has dropped 4 in a row, the Mariners have outscored them 12-8 in the first two games of this set, and the catching room is a triage unit. Adley Rutschman is out for a second straight day with left hamstring tightness, Samuel Basallo is dealing with a jammed left wrist and a bony growth that's barking at him, and Sam Huff — just recalled from Triple-A Norfolk — has been pressed into starting duty behind the plate.
- Day-To-DayBrock Rodden 2B — no
- Day-To-DayColt Emerson 3B — Emerson (back) remains out of the lineup for Tuesday's game in Baltimore.
- 10-Day-ILWill Wilson 3B — Wilson (thumb) has gone 3-for-9 with two RBI and a 1:2 BB:K in his first three rehab games between High-A Everett and Triple-A Tacoma.
- 10-Day-ILJ.P. Crawford SS — Crawford (hand) is still waiting for the results of a CT scan he underwent Tuesday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILCal Raleigh C — Raleigh (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Everett on Sunday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILBrendan Donovan 3B — Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said Sunday that Donovan will receive a platelet-rich plasma injection for his strained left groin as well as his adductor and is expected to resume baseball activity in 2-to-3 weeks, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILCooper Criswell RP — Criswell earned the save in Sunday's 8-0 win over the Guardians, allowing two hits while striking out five over three scoreless innings.
- 60-Day-ILMiles Mastrobuoni 3B — Mastrobuoni (calf) began a rehab assignment Monday with the Mariners' Arizona Complex League affiliate, going 0-for-2 with a 1:1 K:BB.
- Day-To-DayAdley Rutschman C — Rutschman is out of the lineup for the second consecutive day for Tuesday's matchup against Seattle.
- Day-To-DaySamuel Basallo C — Basallo is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Mariners.
- Day-To-DayJhonkensy Noel RF — Noel was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Norfolk on Monday with left wrist inflammation, Matt Weyrich 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.
- 10-Day-ILDylan Beavers RF — Beavers (oblique) hit in the batting cage Wednesday, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
- 15-Day-ILCade Povich SP — Povich (elbow) will resume throwing bullpen sessions this week, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Seattle's injury list isn't exactly a clean bill of health either. J.P. Crawford is still waiting on CT scan results for his hand, Cal Raleigh is on a rehab assignment but hasn't returned yet, and Colt Emerson is out again with back issues. That this lineup keeps scoring 6 runs a night anyway — which it's done in both wins here — says something about the depth, and it's a problem when the other side can barely roster a catcher.
The hook for Baltimore is Young keeping it close and the bats finally cashing in against a Kirby who keeps leaving pitches up. The hook for Seattle is just continuing what's worked: chip away early, hand it to a bullpen that's been fine, and walk out of the East Coast trip with a sweep that would flip them firmly into contender posture in the AL West.