Orioles-Tigers game postponed, day-night doubleheader Saturday

DETROIT - The Orioles won’t begin their three-game series against the Tigers tonight, with the opener postponed due to inclement weather in the forecast.

The teams will play a day-night doubleheader on Saturday. The first game will start at 1:10 p.m., and the second game is scheduled for 6:10 p.m.

So much for a free night.

Neither team posted its lineup today, perhaps in anticipation of the postponement. The tarp is on the field and popup storms are anticipated.

This is the second postponement for the Orioles in 2025. Their April 11 game against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards became part of a split-doubleheader on July 29.

Cedric Mullins was expected to stay in the leadoff spot tonight. He has 20 RBIs and 17 walks to join Kyle Tucker and Aaron Judge as the only major league players to reach those marks.

Brandon Young presumably will make his second major league start Saturday, with Charlie Morton handling the other game. Young allowed three runs and seven hits in four innings against the Reds, was optioned and recalled while reliever Cody Poteet went on the injured list.

The Orioles will try to win back-to-back games for the second time this season. They’re 46-24 against the American League Central since 2023.

The Orioles are batting .200 in April, which is on pace to be their lowest average for a month of at least 20 games in 70 years, per STATS. Tonight is their 20^th game. They hit .188 in June 1955.

Another Orioles nugget: They haven’t been swept in 30 consecutive regular season series dating back to July 12-14, 2024, tied with the Padres for the longest active streak in the majors.

The last time that the Orioles played in Detroit on a Friday night, they were no-hit through 8 2/3 innings before Gunnar Henderson tripled. The Tigers went with an opener and the Orioles didn’t have a baserunner through the seventh.

The Tigers are in first place in the American League Central with a 15-10 record, including 10-3 at home. They have a plus-30 run differential that’s the second-largest in the AL behind the Yankees’ 31.

The 15 wins are the most through 25 games since the Tigers started 16-9 in 2015. Their run differential is their largest at this point since 2006 (plus-50), per STATS.

Detroit’s 2.94 ERA is first in the AL and third in the majors. Opponents are hitting .210.

The rotation ERA of 3.09 is sixth. The Orioles are 29^th at 5.82, an improvement thanks to back-to-back outings by Tomoyuki Sugano and Cade Povich. The Tigers’ bullpen ERA of 2.70 is third in the majors.

Right-hander Casey Mize is 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA and 0.945 WHIP in four starts. He’s allowed six runs and 16 hits in 24 1/3 innings. Four of those six runs came against the Twins on April 13.

Right-handers hit .255 with a .691 OPS in Mize’s career, and left-handers hit .253 with a .794 OPS. Lefties are batting .111 against him this season, going 5-for-45.

Mize has two career starts against the Orioles and he’s allowed three earned runs (five total) in 11 1/3 innings.

Ryan O’Hearn is 3-for-8 with a home run against Mize. Mullins is 2-for-5 with a double and triple.

Right-hander Jackson Jobe, the third-overall pick in the 2021 draft, was scheduled to start Saturday but has been pushed back and the spot is listed as TBA. Jobe has made six major league appearances, including four starts this season. The Orioles haven't faced him.

Tarik Skubal will start Sunday in the finale.

* Triple-A Norfolk pitcher Justin Armbruester had successful surgery today to repair his latissimus dorsi, according to the Orioles. Armbruester, a former top 30 prospect in the system, made three relief appearances and allowed two unearned runs with seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Samuel Basallo was reinstated from Norfolk’s injured list and is serving as designated hitter tonight. Basallo was out with a hamstring strain.