In which Dean Kremer gets to try to play the stopper and regain some of his May form.
Whelp. So Game 1 of this four-game series in Tampa could have gone better. On Monday night, the Orioles endured a 7-1 spanking, with Rays starter Ryan Pepiot silencing the Orioles bats and Zach Eflin sweating through one of the worst outings of his career.
A chance to do better tonight, although I’m not holding my breath. Dean Kremer (5-7, 4.99 ERA) has had two iffy starts in a row to put a cloud on what was a brilliant month of May (2.72 ERA). He unexpectedly allowed five runs to the Athletics two starts ago, then he allowed four runs to Detroit on two home runs. In fairness to Kremer, he followed opener Keegan Akin and managed to give his team seven innings against a strong Detroit offense. He hasn’t faced the Rays since last year, when he tossed six scoreless innings against them.
Maybe Kremer will take advantage of the element of surprise: the only Ray who has more than 9 AB’s against him is Yandy Díaz, and he hasn’t been good, at just 1-for-16 off the righty.
There are a few things to like about this matchup with the Rays’ Zack Littell (6-6, 3.84 ERA). One, he’s a righty. Two, despite a strong 2024 season, he’s been more hittable this year, as Paul noted in his series preview. Despite barely walking people (he has an excellent 3.2 BB/9), Littell has a 5.41 FIP and he’s served up a league-worst 21 four-baggers in 14 starts. The righty has five offerings: a slider (32%), four-seamer (25%), splitter (24%), sinker (14%) and sweeper (4%).
Tonight, one Ramón (Urías) sits for the other (Laureano) as Tony Mansolino plays the matchups. Ramón Laureano has hit Littell very well: he’s 6-for-18 off the right hander with a homer, an RBI and a 1.166 OPS. Gunnar Henderson has crushed Littell in his career, he’s 7-for-15 with two homers and 1.462 OPS. Dylan Carlson is still a lineup fixture, a career .953 OPS hitter off Littell.
Orioles lineup
2B Jackson Holliday
C Adley Rutschman
SS Gunnar Henderson
3B Jordan Westburg
1B Ryan O’Hearn
RF Ramón Laureano
DH Cedric Mullins
CF Colton Cowser
LF Dylan Carlson
RHP Dean Kremer
Rays lineup
RF Josh Lowe
2B Brandon Lowe
DH Yandy Díaz
1B Jonathan Aranda
3B Junior Caminero
LF Jake Mangum
C Matt Thaiss
SS Taylor Walls
CF Kameron Misner
RHP Zack Littell