Irvin back on mound as Orioles try to even series with Athletics

Colton Cowser stays in left field this afternoon and Jorge Mateo gets the start at second base, as the Orioles attempt to bounce back from last night’s 3-2, 10-inning loss to Oakland.

James McCann is catching, with Adley Rutschman serving as designated hitter.

Anthony Santander is batting .303/.425/.606 (10-for-33) with five doubles, one triple, one home run, four RBIs, five walks and four runs scored in his last nine games since April 16. He’s in right field today and batting cleanup.

Ryan Mountcastle has registered a .937 OPS when batting third this season, more than .150 points higher than his OPS when hitting in all other spots (.756), per STATS. He’s the first baseman.

Left-hander Cole Irvin, trying to hold onto his spot in the rotation, is coming off his finest outing with the Orioles. He shut out the Royals over 6 2/3 innings Sunday in Kansas City. They batted .133 against his fastball.

Irvin spent the 2021-22 seasons with the Athletics and went a combined 19-28 with a 4.11 ERA and 1.244 WHIP in 62 starts. He’s faced them twice and allowed seven runs and nine hits in nine innings.

The Orioles are percentage points ahead of the Yankees for first place.

Left-hander JP Sears has made five starts this season and posted a 3.38 ERA and 1.050 WHIP with only two home runs allowed in 26 2/3 innings. Over his last three starts, he’s surrendered only one run and six hits in 17 1/3 innings.

Sears has faced the Orioles five times (four starts) and registered a 5.14 ERA and 1.429 WHIP in 21 innings. He has a 3.75 ERA and 1.167 WHIP in three games at Camden Yards totaling 12 innings.

Sears has reverse splits, with left-handed hitters batting .284/.358/.452 in his career and right-handers batting .237/.305/.431.

Mountcastle is 5-for-10 with two home runs and six RBIs against Sears. Gunnar Henderson is 3-for-5 with two doubles and a triple. Rutschman is 3-for-7 with a home run.

The Athletics are in third place in the American League West, 3 ½ games ahead of the first-place Mariners. They’ve homered in 11 consecutive games.

Former Oriole Tyler Nevin stole his first career base last night.

For the Orioles

Gunnar Henderson SS
Adley Rutschman DH
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Anthony Santander RF
Jordan Westburg 3B
Cedric Mullins CF
James McCann C
Colton Cowser LF
Jorge Mateo 2B

Cole Irvin LHP