Maton starts at third base tonight in Orioles' series opener against Tampa Bay

Dean Kremer is set to take his scheduled turn tonight for the series opener against the Rays at Camden Yards, avoiding the injured list after Jordan Beck’s line drive Saturday night slammed off his right forearm.

Kremer registered three quality starts in a row before leaving the Rockies game after 3 1/3 innings with a huge welt above his wrist.

The Rays are seeing Kremer for the first time this season. He’s made six career starts against them and posted a 2.79 ERA in 29 innings.

Brandon Lowe is 4-for-9 with a home run against Kremer. Yandy Díaz is 1-for-13.

Nick Maton is starting at third base and batting ninth, a spot ahead of Jackson Holliday. Coby Mayo is on the bench again.

Maton has appeared in two games and struck out in his only at-bat.

Eloy Jiménez is the designated hitter.

Gunnar Henderson is leading off again. He’s collected at least three hits in four games against the Rays this season.

The Orioles’ 13 leadoff home runs this season are two short of the major league record shared by the 2019 Astros and 2003 Yankees per STATS. The 2016 Astros hit 14.

The earliest that the Orioles can clinch a playoff berth is Thursday.

Right-hander Shane Baz, the Pirates’ first-round draft pick in 2017, has registered a 3.49 ERA in nine starts. He didn’t pitch in 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and made his 2024 debut on July 5.

Left-handers are hitting .200/.306/.353 against Baz, and right-handers are hitting .263/.315/.354. Left-handers have posted a career .199/.298/.369 line against him.

Baz made his only start against the Orioles on June 17, 2022 at Camden Yards and shut them out on two hits with no walks and seven strikeouts in six innings.

The Rays are averaging 3.89 runs per game compared to 5.31 last season. They’re one of three teams without a 20-homer player, joining the White Sox and Nationals.

The Orioles are 8-2 against the Rays this season. Tampa Bay has scored 2.50 runs per game in the series, on pace for the lowest average against the Orioles by a division opponent since the Blue Jays (2.14) in 1981, according to STATS.

For the Orioles

Gunnar Henderson SS
Adley Rutschman C
Ryan O’Hearn 1B
Anthony Santander RF
Colton Cowser LF
Eloy Jiménez DH
Cedric Mullins CF
Jackson Holliday 2B
Nick Maton 3B

Dean Kremer RHP

Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. is the guest slasher tonight in section 86, on the date that he broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive-games record in 1995.