O's game blog: Corbin Burnes on mound as O's host Detroit in series opener

Two teams hoping to play October baseball meet this weekend at Oriole Park. The Orioles (85-68) host the Detroit Tigers (80-73) in their final home series of the 2024 regular season.

The O’s beat San Francisco 5-3 Thursday on Anthony Santander’s two-run, walk-off homer in the ninth. When the Yankees lost later they had moved to four games back in the American League East with nine to play, including three next week at Yankee Stadium. The O’s begin play tonight leading Kansas City by three games for the top AL wild card spot.

Detroit, which took two of three at Comerica Park last weekend versus the Orioles, has now moved into a tie with Minnesota for the third and final AL wild card and No. 6 seed.

Minnesota, however, holds the tiebreaker over the Tigers, having won the season series, 7-6.

Last weekend, Detroit beat the Orioles 1-0 Friday on a one-hitter, the O’s won 4-2 Saturday and lost 4-2 Sunday. Baltimore was outscored 7-6 in that series.

From 2017-2022, the O’s went 11-22 versus the Tigers, but they were 6-1 against Detroit in the 2023 season.

But the Tigers are really rolling now, having won four in a row, nine of 11 and 18 of their past 25 games. They have the best record in the major leagues since Aug. 11, going 25-10 with a plus-62 run differential. In those 35 games, the Tigers are scoring 4.7 runs per game, but their team ERA is the best in the majors in this stretch at 2.50. During this time, their pitchers have given up only a .209 batting average, a .583 OPS and just 0.62 homers per every nine innings.

Detroit is 15-11 against the AL East and has gone 2-4 against the Yankees. The Tigers are playing well recently on the road, winning 10 of their past 13. For the year they are 41-37 in road games.

It is a challenging final home weekend for the Orioles, who would love to gain some ground on the Yankees before that series in the Bronx begins next Tuesday.

Right-hander Corbin Burnes (14-8, 3.06 ERA) gets the start tonight. His last outing was Saturday at Detroit, and he was outstanding that night. He pitched seven scoreless innings and allowed just two hits and one walk while getting seven strikeouts on 97 pitches. While that was Burnes' first scoreless start among his 30 on the season, he has allowed one run nine times.

Burnes ranks fifth in the AL in both ERA and innings. He is eighth in opponent OPS at .632.

Over his last four starts, Burnes has allowed one, one, two and zero earned runs. He is 2-2 with a 1.57 ERA in this span. He’s allowed two earned runs or fewer 20 times and has 21 quality starts, which ranks tied for third in the majors.

In four career games against Detroit. he is 2-0 with an 0.82 ERA, allowing two earned runs and 10 hits in 22 innings. Detroit batters have hit just .135 against him and his WHIP is 0.636.

For third time in four games the last two weekends, the Orioles will face an opener by Detroit. Lefty Tyler Holton (7-1, 2.21 ERA) gets the start. This year he has made 62 appearances and seven starts.

He has been sensational since June 29 with an ERA of 0.38 in his last 33 games covering 47 1/3 innings. He pitched twice last weekend versus the Orioles, throwing 2 1/3 scoreless and getting a save. In his seven games as a starter, he has allowed just one run over 14 innings. 

It is possible the O's see lefty Brant Hurter as the "bulk innings" pitcher. He threw 5 2/3 scoreless and hitless innings as the Orioles on Friday. He has not pitched since then.

Today's roster move: The Orioles reinstated left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe from the 60-day injured list before today's game. Coulombe, who is 1-0 with a 2.42 ERA, last pitched for the Orioles on June 8.

Right-hander Burch Smith went on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Sept. 18. with a right adductor groin strain.

The Orioles' 40-man roster has 38 players.