Orioles To Welcome Yankees To Camden Yards For Home Opener Following COVID-19 Delays
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- After a tumultuous few days, the Baltimore Orioles will return to the diamond tonight at the friendly confines of Oriole Park at Camden Yards facing the rival New York Yankees.
Originally scheduled to be the second half of a home-and-home series with the Miami Marlins, the plans changed after Miami experienced a COVID-19 outbreak that has postponed games for the franchise through Sunday.
In step with the Yankees, who had a home-and-home of their own against the Philadelphia Phillies postponed out of an abundance of caution due to the Phillies matchups against the Marlins in Philadelphia over the weekend. The meeting between the sides is currently a battle for second place in the division with both entering sporting 2-1 records.
Orioles fans will be hoping that the series against the Yankees goes quite differently than last season when the Bombers romped to 17 wins in 19 meetings while outscoring the O's 151-83. Of particular nuisance to the Orioles and their pitching staff last season was Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres who hit .394 with 13 homers and 20 RBI in just the 18 games he played against Baltimore.
The task of attempting to hold down the Yankees potent lineup falls to righty Asher Wojciechowski. In his lone matchup against the Yankees last season, Wojciechowski lasted just four innings giving up six hits and five runs taking a loss in a game that ended 9-4. On the plus side, he was one of the few Orioles pitchers to hold Torres hitless.
He'll be opposed on the mound by the Yankees new ace, Gerrit Cole, who sparkled in his debut for the team on Opening Day against the Washington Nationals going five innings, striking out five and giving up a solo homer in the team's 4-1 win.
The Orioles players will likely have an extra on their minds entering the night's game following the passing of 14-year-old superfan Mo Gaba on Tuesday. Gaba is set to be inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame as the second-ever recipient of the Wild Bill Hagy Award given to fans who inspired others with their devotion to the team. The Orioles organization, along with several players, posted tributes to Gaba on Tuesday night.
First pitch between the Orioles and Yankees is set for 7:35 p.m. EDT.