Orioles ace Corbin Burnes faces the Jays for the third time this season as the O’s look to take control of the series vs. Toronto.
Monday’s doubleheader was certainly a mixed bag for the Orioles and Birdland. Game 1 saw an encouraging first start from the newly acquired Zach Eflin and the bats exploded for 11 runs to down the Blue Jays. Game 2 was almost the exact opposite; rookie Cade Povich had another rough start and the offense couldn’t keep up as Toronto evened the series. Tonight, the Orioles will look to tilt things back in their favor and they’ll do so with ace Corbin Burnes on the mound.
Burnes found plenty of success in his two earlier starts vs. Toronto this season. During his first-ever meeting with the Blue Jays in Camden Yards, he held them to one run over six innings in a game the Orioles ultimately lost in extra innings. Three weeks later, when he made his first career start in Rogers Centre, Burns was even better. The four-time all-star put up seven innings while only allowing one run and striking out five—leading the Orioles to a 10-1 win.
This matchup with the Blue Jays is ideal for Burnes in that Toronto is a team that has struggled to hit cutters all season. Of their regular starters, only Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Spencer Horwitz hit above .250 against cutters and most of the Blue Jays lineup struggles to stay above the Mendoza Line vs. Burnes’ best pitch. In his last start vs. Toronto, Blue Jays hitters only hit .143 off the cut fastball with only one extra-base hit.
To oppose Burnes, Toronto will turn to veteran right-hander Chris Bassitt. This will be the former All-Star’s first appearance against the Orioles this season, and he’ll to avoid a repeat of his 2023 season vs. Baltimore. During his most recent visit to Camden Yards—in June 2023—Bassitt was roughed up to the tune of eight runs, 11 hits and three home runs, all in just three innings. When Bassitt faced the Orioles again a month later in Toronto, things didn’t go much better for the Blue Jays’ righty. In that second start, he made it through six innings but still gave up four runs and took the loss.
Ryan Mountcastle is usually the one who torments, but against Bassitt it’s been Gunnar Henderson and Ryan O’Hearn doing most of the damage. Henderson is 3-6 with 2 HRs and 5 RBIs off Bassitt—including this grand slam. O’Hearn hasn’t done quite that much damage to Bassitt but is still 4-7 against him with a home run of his own.
Orioles lineup
- Colton Cowser (L) LF
- Adley Rutschman (S) C
- Gunnar Henderson (L) SS
- Anthony Santander (S) RF
- Ryan O’Hearn (L) DH
- Ryan Mountcastle (R) 1B
- Jordan Westburg (R) 2B
- Cedric Mullins (L) CF
- Ramón Urías (R) 3B
Starting pitcher: RHP Corbin Burnes (10-4, 2.45 ERA, 121 Ks)
Blue Jays lineup
- George Springer (R) DH
- Dalton Varsho (L) CF
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
- Spencer Horwitz (L) 2B
- Alejandro Kirk (R) C
- Ernie Clement (R) 3B
- Addison Barger (L) RF
- Leo Jiménez (R) SS
- Steward Berroa (S) LF
Starting pitcher: Chris Bassitt (8-9, 3.78 ERA, 112 Ks)