O's game blog: Series with Mets begins

Can we call one series away from Baltimore a road trip? If we can, the Orioles' next road trip begins tonight at Citi Field with the first of a three-game series against the Mets. That is followed by one series at home against the Astros before the next two-series trip begins a week from tomorrow at the Dodgers.

The Orioles and Yankees are once again tied for the top spot in the American League East with both at 73-52 (.584). They are tied for the best record in the American League and tied for second-best in the majors, with the Phillies first at 73-51 and the Dodgers also at 73-52. It's tight at the top!

The Orioles' 4-2 win on Sunday allowed them to split a four-game series with the Red Sox and go 3-3 on their homestand. The Orioles went 12-13 in July and are 8-8 in August. They are 15-14 since the All-Star Game.

At 64-60, the Mets are in third place, nine games out in the National League East, and chasing the final NL wild card spot. It is currently held by the Braves (66-58) with the Mets next up, two games behind them.

The Mets are 3-2 the last five games but 3-6 the last nine. They have lost 12 of 21 games. They are 15-14 since the break, same as the Orioles.

The Mets' Francisco Lindor is on a 12-game hitting streak. He is batting .358 (19-for-53) over that span with nine runs, three doubles, one triple, two home runs and eight RBIs with a .393 on-base percentage and a .566 slugging. He has safely reached base in each of his last 17 games, posting a .367 OBP in that span. In 81 games batting in the leadoff spot the this year, Lindor is hitting .299/.373/.522 with 58 runs, 22 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs, 52 RBIs, 32 walks and 18 steals with an .895 OPS.

The Mets are 14-20 verus the AL this year. In 2023, they went 19-27 against the American League. Overall, they own a 268-274 record in interleague play.

The Orioles have gone 15-19 on the season against NL teams and 58-33 versus the AL.

Lefty Trevor Rogers (2-11, 4.89 ERA) tonight makes his 25th start of the season and fourth with the Orioles. He is 0-2 with a 7.53 ERA and 1.884 WHIP as an Oriole.

Rogers' teams are 7-17 in his starts this season and the O's are 1-2 in his three starts with Baltimore. 

Rogers faced the Mets often when he was in Miami. On July 21, he allowed two runs (one earned) and five hits over 4 2/3 innings against the Mets. In nine career games, he is 2-3 with a 3.35 ERA against that club. In six career Citi Field starts, he is 2-2 with a 2.73 ERA.

Lefty David Peterson (7-1, 3.04 ERA) makes his 14th start and faces the Orioles. The Mets are 10-3 when he starts. He has allowed two earned runs or less in three straight games, going 2-1 with a 1.56 ERA. He has also done that nine times in his last 10 starts with a 2.65 ERA. 

The Orioles have hit at least one homer in 13 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors, after a 22-game streak earlier this season. Baltimore has had multiple home run streaks of 13-plus games in a single season twice prior in 2013 and 1998.

Gunnar Henderson hit a two-run home run against the Red Sox on Sunday for his 33rd, becoming the third Oriole to have a 33-homer season before turning 24, joining Manny Machado (35 in 2015) and Boog Powell (39 in 1964).

While the Orioles play the Mets and Astros this week, the Yankees, who are off tonight, play at home versus the Guardians and Rockies beginning Tuesday night.