Orioles lineup for Saturday baseball (plus pregame notes, updates)

Riding the high of Friday's comeback win over Houston, the Orioles (75-55) host the Astros (69-59) today in the third game of the four-game series at Oriole Park.

After being shut out 6-0 on three hits in the series opener Thursday, the O's were down 5-2 when they batted in the eighth inning last night. Anthony Santander hit his 38th homer, a go-ahead grand slam that produced a 6-5 lead and eventual 7-5 win.

When Santander produced the slam, at that point the Orioles had been 2-for-31 with runners in scoring position the last seven games. 

The Orioles snapped a five-game losing streak versus Houston after going 0-4 against the Astros this year. Houston had won nine in a row on the road. 

Today the Baltimore batters have a real challenge in facing lefty Framber Valdez (13-5, 3.20 ERA). He finished 11th in the American League Cy Young Award voting in 2020, fifth in 2022 and ninth last year.

Houston has won his last 10 starts, and during this run he is 8-0 with a 2.39 ERA and .585 OPS. 

On June 23 in Houston, he beat the Orioles, allowing just a run and six hits in seven innings on 104 pitches. 

Righty Albert Suárez (6-4, 3.18 ERA) goes for Baltimore. He has not allowed a run his past three starts over 17 2/3 combined innings against Toronto, Tampa Bay and Boston.

With the southpaw Valdez starting for Houston, lefty batter Cedric Mullins - who came out of last night's game with left quad tightness, is out of today's lineup - while right-handed-hitting Austin Slater starts in left field and bats in the leadoff spot.

Ryan Mountcastle, still dealing with a sore wrist, is on the bench.

Jackson Holliday who is 0-for-19 his past six games and 0-for-20 overall, is not starting. Ramón Urías is at second base.

For the Orioles 

Austin Slater LF
Adley Rutschman C
Gunnar Henderson SS
Anthony Santander RF
Eloy Jiménez DH
Colton Cowser CF
Emmanuel Rivera 3B
Ryan O'Hearn 1B
Ramón Urías 2B

Albert Suárez RHP

For the Astros

Jose Altuve 2B
Alex Bregman 3B
Yainer Diaz C
Jeremy Peña SS
Jon Singleton 1B
Victor Caratini DH
Jake Meyers CF
Ben Gamel RF
Mauricio Dubón LF

Framber Valdez LHP

Pregame notes: Manager Brandon Hyde is hopeful that both Mountcastle and Mullins have avoided the injured list.

"Right now they are both getting treatment. I'm not sure if they are going to be available to be off the bench or not. But it's still kind of early. Both a little bit better today. See if they are available or not."

Is the hope they have avoided the IL?

"Yeah, definitely," said Hyde.

Right-hander Dean Kremer will get the start for the Orioles tomorrow night on "Sunday Night Baseball." That slot had been listed as TBA. 

Kremer (6-9, 4.30 ERA) will be making his 19th start of the season. Over his last two he allowed two runs and seven hits in 12 combined innings against the Nationals and Mets.

"Just thought it would be good for him to relax for a bit," Hyde said of Holliday not starting. "Framber Valdez is a really good starting pitcher. Just wanted to give him a little bit of a breather."

Mateo update: O's infielder Jorge Mateo updated media today on his status. He has been on the injured list since July 25 and has not played since July 23 with a left elbow subluxation.

Mateo said he still doesn't know when he could return or if he will need surgery that would end his season. He said he'll soon undergo another examination to see what comes next.

"They told me I had to regain some more motion so that the recovery would be quicker and to get the inflammation to go down," he said, via translator Brandon Quinones. "They told me surgery was a possibility. Until we get a conclusion on that, no baseball activities."