Orioles and Reds lineups and notes

Heston Kjerstad, who was named the International League’s Player of the Month earlier today, is starting in left field tonight for the series opener against the Reds in Cincinnati.

Colton Cowser is on the bench, whether to rest or to heal from slamming his knee into the outfield wall yesterday and being hit on the foot by a pitch. Either way, he's one of the reserves.

Jorge Mateo gets another start at second base after homering yesterday. Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter.

Cole Irvin hasn’t allowed a run in his last 14 1/3 innings. He stays in the rotation despite Kyle Bradish and John Means leaving the injured list.

Irvin has made three career appearances against the Reds, including one start, and allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings.

Reds right-hander Hunter Greene, the second-overall pick in the 2017 draft, has made six starts and posted a 3.63 ERA and 1.096 WHIP in 34 2/3 innings. He’s struck out 42 batters and surrendered only two home runs.

Greene has completed seven innings in each of his last two starts, and he shut out the Rangers on one hit over seven frames in his most recent outing.

The Orioles have never faced Greene.

The Reds are in third place in the National League Central with a 16-15 record. They’re 9-7 at home.

They’re the most efficient team in baseball at driving in runners from third base with fewer than two outs at 67.2 percent, per STATS. The Orioles have allowed only 45 percent to score, third best in the majors.

These teams met in a three-game series in Baltimore last summer and the Reds won the last two. The Orioles also lost two of three in Cincinnati in 2022.

The Orioles have lost their last six series against NL Central opponents. They’re 19-35 all-time in road games against the division, the worst of any team, according to STATS. They’re 4-5 all-time in Cincinnati in the regular season but won Games 1 and 2 in the 1970 World Series.

For the Orioles

Gunnar Henderson SS
Adley Rutschman C
Ryan O’Hearn DH
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Anthony Santander RF
Cedric Mullins CF
Jordan Westburg 3B
Heston Kjerstad LF
Jorge Mateo 2B

Cole Irvin LHP

For the Reds

Jonathan India DH
Elly De La Cruz SS
Spencer Steer LF
Tyler Stephenson C
Christian Encarnacion-Strand 1B
Jeimer Candelario 3B
Santiago Espinal 2B
Jake Fraley RF
Stuart Fairchild CF

Hunter Greene RHP

Austin Hays will begin working out this weekend at Double-A Bowie. Hays is on the injured list with a left calf strain and is expected to begin a rehab assignment.

The Orioles will induct Nick Markakis and Terry Crowley into their Hall of Fame on Aug. 24 before their 4:05 p.m. game against the Astros.

Former longtime Orioles scout Dick Bowie will be inducted as the Herb Armstrong Award winner.

Triple-A Norfolk left-hander Cade Povich was selected International League Pitcher of the Month after allowing three earned runs in 26 1/3 innings, posting a 0.76 WHIP and .116 average against, and striking out 40 batters.

It’s the first time a team has swept the International League monthly awards since Toledo’s Aderlin Rodriguez and Mark Leiter Jr. in July 2021.

High-A Aberdeen catcher Creed Willems was named South Atlantic League Player of the Month after ranking first with 43 total bases, 21 RBIs and a .642 slugging percentage. He was tied for first with six home runs.

Steve Melewski is in Cincinnati. I’ll rejoin the team in D.C.