Wondering what's next and a look at tonight's matchup

NEW YORK - Last night's 13-5 victory assured the Yankees of their first season series win over the Orioles since 2013.

Must be all those runs.

Aaron Judge has hit 11 home runs against the Orioles, the most by a Yankees player versus any opponent in a single season since Roger Maris had 13 against the White Sox and Mickey Mantle had 11 against the Senators in 1961.

Judge has scored 27 runs against the Orioles, the most by any player against any team in a single season since Willie Mays' 28 versus the Dodgers in 1958.

With the season down to its last 15 games barring a near-miraculous run to the postseason, I'm wondering how long, if ever, before we see a lineup that includes Austin Hays in right field, Chance Sisco behind the plate and Rule 5 pick Anthony Santander anywhere.

Will Pedro Álvarez get a start as the designated hitter while right-handers come at the Orioles in waves? He's received only five at-bats counting last night's pinch-hitting appearance, striking out in three of them.

If shortstop J.J. Hardy is down to his last 15 games, will manager Buck Showalter give him a start at Camden Yards to allow fans the chance to salute him? It would be nice to show some appreciation for everything that Hardy has offered since his arrival in the winter of 2010.

Leave the "he's washed up" analysis at home.

This is assuming that Hardy is fine physically and can bat. He still hasn't appeared in a game since coming off the disabled list.

While the Indians were in the process of sweeping the Orioles in Cleveland last weekend, Showalter and a few of his players were tasked with figuring out how much blame fell upon the offensive approach and how much praise needed to be set aside for the opposing starters.

Runs were scarce. Everyone could agree on that point. But why?

Exactly how was a team supposed to evaluate itself when the Indians kept sending ace-like material to the mound?

Caps were tipped, concessions made with words chosen carefully that the rotations didn't match up.

The Orioles actually have been guilty of wasting some solid efforts from their own starters, who registered a 3.93 ERA in 34 1/3 innings on the road trip before last night's series opener in the Bronx, where Wade Miley allowed six runs in one-third of an inning. But the bats produced 1.8 runs per game and a .181 average.

While the Orioles give Gabriel Ynoa his second start tonight, their playoff hopes dangling from the thinnest of threads, the Yankees are countering with right-hander Luis Severino, who's 12-6 with a 2.96 ERA and 1.055 WHIP in 28 starts and is averaging 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

Severino has allowed one earned run or fewer in four of his last five starts and nine of 11. He's 7-2 with a 2.07 ERA and 0.962 WHIP in 11 starts since the All-Star break.

It doesn't seem fair, but the Orioles will take their cuts against the odds as well as Severino, who's allowed six runs, walked four batters and struck out 22 over 18 1/3 innings in three starts against them this season.

Severino is 3-1 with a 3.55 ERA and 1.053 WHIP in eight career games (six starts) against the Orioles. The current group is batting .207 (25-for-121).

Mark Trumbo is 4-for-12 (.333) with a double and two home runs. Manny Machado is 4-for-14 (.286) with a double, three home runs and nine strikeouts. Chris Davis is 3-for-16 (.188) with a home run and eight strikeouts.

Trey Mancini has four hits in six at-bats against Severino.

Ynoa tossed two scoreless innings against the Yankees on Sept. 4, his only career appearance against them, in a 7-4 loss. Judge, Greg Bird, Starlin Castro, Todd Frazier, Brett Gardner, Didi Gregorius and Chase Headley are a collective 0-for-6 against him. Judge walked in his only plate appearance.

Left-handers are batting .346 against Ynoa in 82 career plate appearances in the majors and right-handers are batting .288 in 90.ynoa

The Orioles can learn a little about Ynoa by running him out there against the Indians and Yankees.

"It's all part of the dossier, or whatever you want to call it, that you're collecting to make good decisions," Showalter said. "One, you would think it's our best foot forward. You're trying to match up as many things as the schedule allows."

* The Orioles announced their Fan Appreciation Weekend schedule as the final homestand unfolds Sept. 22-24.

A fan will be selected to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before each game.

Players will participate in a pregame "Shirts Off Our Backs" jersey ceremony before the Sept. 22 game. All fans ages 15 and over attending the Sept. 23 game will receive an Orioles hooded sweatshirt. All fans ages 14 and under attending the Sept. 24 game will receive an Oriole Bird bobblehead toothbrush holder. Also, nine kids will be selected to take the field with the starters for the national anthem.

Here's the complete schedule.