Stowers in left field tonight for series opener against Seattle

Gunnar Henderson returns to the leadoff spot for tonight’s series opener against the Mariners at Camden Yards, with Jordan Westburg moving down to seventh.

Westburg hit leadoff for the first time in his major league career Wednesday while Henderson occupied the cleanup spot.

An opposing right-handed starter has returned the club to its usual order.

Kyle Stowers gets the start in left field, Colton Cowser is in center and Ryan O’Hearn is in right. Anthony Santander, who bruised his knee Wednesday, is the designated hitter.

Cedric Mullins, in a 5-for-59 slump, was on the field today for earlier batting practice. He joins Austin Hays on the bench.

Adley Rutschman has homered in three straight games, totaling four over that span.

John Means gets the start tonight, his third of the season. He’s 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA and 0.714 WHIP in three career starts against the Mariners, including the no-hitter on May 5, 2021.

Among all pitchers in Orioles history with at least 20 innings against Seattle, only Cy Young winner Steve Stone had a better ERA at 0.78 according to STATS.

The Orioles are 86-21 when Henderson scores a run, their best record ever with any player in a minimum of 100 games according to STATS.

The Orioles lead the majors with 64 home runs, including 26 go-ahead homers that are the most by any team through 41 games since the 1964 Twins (28), also per STATS. They’re one game behind the Yankees for first place in the American League East.

Also, the Orioles are getting a home run every 14.70 at-bats from their No. 1 and 2 hitters, on pace for the most ever in a non-shortened season.

Seattle right-hander Bryce Miller has posted a 2.66 ERA and 0.951 WHIP in eight starts, and he’s struck out 51 batters in 47 1/3 innings. He’s allowed two runs or fewer in six starts.

Left-handers are batting .133/.220/.333 against Miller this season, and right-handers are batting .231/.277/.333. Left-handers hit .303/.358/.558 last season.

Miller made two starts against the Orioles as a rookie last year and allowed four earned runs (five total) in 10 innings. He pitched at Camden Yards on June 24 and surrendered three runs and six hits in 4 1/3. Anthony Santander hit a solo home run.

Santander is 3-for-5 against Miller. Ryan Mountcastle went 2-for-3.

The Mariners lead the American League West by 1 ½ games over the Rangers. They’re 15-10 at home but 9-10 on the road.

They’re tied for 23^rd in the majors with 168 runs scored and their .674 OPS is 19^th. They have a plus-10 run differential, compared to the Orioles’ plus-49.

The Mariners have registered a 3.33 ERA that’s seventh in the majors. The Orioles are fifth at 3.26. Seattle’s 3.27 bullpen ERA is eighth, one spot behind the Orioles (3.23).

Seattle’s rotation has registered a 1.02 WHIP, which would be the lowest in history since 1901, per STATS.

The Mariners have lost their last two series against the Orioles.

For the Orioles

Gunnar Henderson SS
Adley Rutschman C
Ryan O’Hearn RF
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Anthony Santander DH
Colton Cowser CF
Jordan Westburg 3B
Kyle Stowers LF
Jorge Mateo 2B

John Means LHP