TLDR: Texas has won 4 straight and taken the first two of this set from Baltimore — now the Orioles just want out of Arlington with some dignity intact.
Povich is two starts into a comeback from a three-month shoulder absence, and his first one back was about as good as it gets — 6 scoreless innings against the Angels with 7 strikeouts. Rocker's been more up-and-down for Texas, working with a 4.08 ERA and, at times, in a piggyback role to avoid rough first innings. Sunday's matchup, first pitch at 1:35 PM CT, pits a reclamation project against a guy still hunting for consistency.
Cade Povich
(2-1)·4.45 ERA
Aug 4 vs Angels
W
6.0IP
0ER
7K
1BB
88P
08/09 Lineup
Kumar Rocker
(4-10)·4.46 ERA
Aug 2 @ Astros
ND
5.1IP
3ER
5K
2BB
88P
08/09 Lineup
Baltimore's rotation is in flux after trading away Adley Rutschman and a chunk of the bullpen at the deadline, so Povich's return could hardly have come at a better time for a staff that needs innings. Texas, meanwhile, is missing Josh Jung and Danny Jansen but has gotten by fine, riding a healthier roster into its best stretch since May. The board's taken notice of the pace question in this one, with the over's price drifting toward even money.
None of that changes the standings pressure both sides are under. Baltimore sits under .500 and openly sold at the deadline, while Texas just clawed back to .500 for the first time since May — this series has been a measuring stick for which direction each team is actually trending.
The first two games of this set haven't been close, either. Shane Baz needed 8 innings and 9 strikeouts to win the opener while allowing just a single run, and Jacob deGrom followed with a win of his own the next day — Texas has gotten frontline production even before Rocker takes the ball Sunday.
For Baltimore, it's about not getting overwhelmed while figuring out what's left after the sell-off. For Texas, it's a chance to finish off the series and keep building on the best form the roster's shown all year.
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