Field Level Media
30 May 2023, 03:49 GMT+10
The Baltimore Orioles might have additional challenges by the time they face the visiting Cleveland Guardians in the middle game of a three-game series Tuesday night.
The Orioles, who have lost three of their last four games, have failed to score more than three runs in any of their last five games.
Their problems appear to be growing with an injury to center fielder and leadoff hitter Cedric Mullins. He departed Monday's game with what was later described by Orioles manager Brandon Hyde as a right abductor groin strain.
"We're going through all the tests now," Hyde said. "That's the last thing you want to see. He's a huge part of our team."
Mullins, who drew two walks in the series opener, suffered the injury running to first base on an eighth-inning groundout. Hyde made it clear that a long-term absence would be a blow to the team.
"We've been pretty fortunate so far this year, and these things happen," Hyde said.
Cleveland won 5-0 on Monday, holding the Orioles to five hits.
Cleveland right-hander Cal Quantrill (2-3, 4.75 ERA) will try to keep the Orioles out of sorts. Quantrill is coming off his second-shortest outing of the season, a four-inning stint last Wednesday in a 6-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox when he allowed all six runs.
Quantrill is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in four career outings (three starts) against the Orioles.
The Guardians have been riding strong defense recently, highlighted by third baseman Gabriel Arias, who has stayed in the lineup despite a .193 batting average.
"He's a really gifted defender," manager Terry Francona said. "I think you see why we try to be patient and try to get him at-bats because as he figures it out, he has a chance to be pretty good."
Cleveland also has benefitted from backup catcher Cam Gallagher, who drove in two runs Monday. His work behind the plate is likely of more value to the Guardians.
"Cam has done a really good job catching since Day 1," Francona said. "He always catches a really good game."
Another encouraging sign for the Guardians came from Will Brennan's three-hit outing Monday. It marked the outfielder's first multi-hit game in almost two weeks.
"It was good to see him bounce back because I know he was kind of feeling it," Francona said.
Baltimore will go with right-hander Kyle Gibson (6-3, 3.82 ERA) on Tuesday. He's coming off two sterling performances, including seven shutout innings in Thursday's 3-1 road victory against the New York Yankees.
This will mark just the third home outing in a stretch of seven starts for Gibson. He's 3-10 with a 5.59 ERA against Cleveland in 21 all-time appearances (20 starts).
The Guardians have won three of their last four games. They'll be aiming for their fourth victory in five games, something they haven't accomplished since the first week of the season.
On the road, though, the Guardians were 1-7 in their last eight games before Monday's win.
--Field Level MediaGet a daily dose of Illinois Intelligencer news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Illinois Intelligencer.
More InformationOTTAWA, Canada: With Canada Post struggling to maintain operations amid labour unrest, rivals like FedEx and UPS are stepping in to...
Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar says his country has enough problems and cant take in foreigners straight out of American prisons Nigeria...
Anatoly Legkodymov is facing extradition to France and 20 years in prison despite already serving one sentence in America ...
Dhaka [Bangladesh], July 12 (ANI): The three-day second-round tariff talks between Bangladesh and the United States have ended without...
Washington, DC [US], July 12 (ANI): The Beatles legend Paul McCartney is hitting the road again. The singer-songwriter has announced...
New Delhi [India], July 12 (ANI): A preliminary investigation into the Air India flight AI171 crash has revealed that just seconds...
ATLANTA, Georgia: The United States is facing its worst measles outbreak in more than three decades, with 1,288 confirmed cases so...
In the past month alone, 23 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza—three more than the number of remaining living hostages held...
LONDON, U.K.: At least 13 people are believed to have taken their own lives as a result of the U.K.'s Post Office scandal, in which...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Travelers at U.S. airports will no longer need to remove their shoes during security screenings, Department of Homeland...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: An elaborate impersonation scheme involving artificial intelligence targeted senior U.S. and foreign officials in...
SLUBICE, Poland: Poland reinstated border controls with Germany and Lithuania on July 7, following Germany's earlier reintroduction...