O's game blog: Toronto has averaged 6.7 runs per game this year against the O's

Tonight, the Orioles' pitching staff gets another shot at facing the majors' highest-scoring team when they open a three-game series at Toronto.

While the Blue Jays rank 13th in team pitching in the American League, their offense been potent, to say the least.

The Orioles know all about that. Toronto has averaged 6.7 runs per game this year in going 6-3 against the Orioles. O's pitchers have allowed 10 runs or more four times this year, and Toronto has been the opponent all four times.

But when these teams last met, the Orioles did pitch better against the Blue Jays. In mid-May in Baltimore, they posted 5-2 and 6-1 wins. But even then, the Orioles lost the middle game of that series 10-2, and Toronto has had at least one 10-run game in all three series the clubs have played in 2015.

Toronto is 13-3 this month and has scored six runs or more in 11 of its past 15 games. With 376 runs, Toronto is the highest scoring team in the majors, and they've outscored the AL's second-place team, Oakland, by 71 runs. By comparison, the distance between Oakland and the lowest-scoring team in the league is 80 runs.

But while Toronto has amazing stats this year versus left-handed pitching, they are impressive but not as good against right-handers, and the Orioles will start three righties in this series.

Toronto in 2015 with AL rank:
Against LHP: .309 avg. (1), .499 slugging (1), .871 OPS (1)
Against RHP: .258 avg. (5), .432 slugging (T-1), .756 OPS (1)

Both teams enter this series on hot streaks. The Orioles are 11-3 over their past 14 games. Toronto is 13-2 over its last 15 contests. In their only series this year at Rogers Centre from April 21-23, the Orioles were swept three straight by scores of 13-6, 4-2 and 7-6.

Rookie Mike Wright (2-2, 4.13 ERA) will make his sixth big league start tonight and face Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada (4-3, 4.24 ERA).

Over his first two starts, Wright pitched 14 1/3 scoreless innings. But, over his past three, he has pitched 14 innings, allowing 20 hits, including four homers and 13 runs.

Estrada moved into the Toronto rotation on May 5. In eight starts since then, he is 3-3 with a 5.01 ERA. His ERA was 0.84 when he pitched out of the bullpen.

Speaking of bullpens, the Orioles have been excellent there lately. The bullpen pitchers have not allowed a run over 20 2/3 innings over the last seven games and have given up just one run over their last 32 2/3 innings.

Draft picks update: The Orioles continue to make rapid-fire progress in signing draft picks. They announced the signings today of outfielder Cedric Mullins, their 13th-round pick, and catcher Jerry McClanahan, selected in Round 19.

They have now officially announced the signings of 25 picks and more are coming, probably tomorrow. By the end of the day Saturday, the Orioles could have 14 of their top 15 selections with agreements. That would include seventh-round pick, high school pitcher Gray Fenter, who is going to get an overslot signing bonus, as I've reported here multiple times.

The O's will likely not be announcing the signing of top pick, Florida State outfielder DJ Stewart, as soon as tomorrow, but that one could happen pretty soon, too. There has been solid dialogue between the sides in recent days and plenty of progress has been made. Stewart, barring something very unforeseen, is going to be an Oriole.

The Orioles may wind up signing a total of 35 or 36 players from a draft class of 41 players that included 21 position players and 20 pitchers, with 29 drafted out of college and 12 from high schools.

Note to readers: I am in Bowie tonight and will not be publishing a wrap-up report on tonight's O's game, but I will have a separate story from the Baysox game. Stay here tonight with all your O's comments before, during and after the game.