MLB Series of the Week: Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees

For the second time in 2024, the two teams currently leading the American League in win percentage will meet, this time in Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York from June 18 to June 20.

The Orioles took three of four from the Yankees in the first series between the two teams, which was in Baltimore from April 29 to May 2, and featured strong pitching from both teams.

Baltimore Orioles (47-24, second in the AL East)

The Orioles are within striking distance of the AL East lead and are coming off a week in which they took two of three games in two home series against the two best NL East teams, the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Shortstop Gunnar Henderson and catcher Adley Rutschman, the Orioles’ stars who lead All-Star Game voting in the American League at their respective positions, were relatively quiet when they faced the Yankees for the first time in 2024.

Henderson hit only two for 14 with a walk and a home run, while Rutschman batted four for 16 in the first series.

Third baseman Jordan Westburg, second baseman Jorge Mateo, first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and outfielders Colton Cowser and Anthony Santander, who have all received All-Star consideration, have supported the Orioles’ lineup very well in 2024.

The Orioles’ rotation is very different than when they met the Yankees for the first time this season, as Dean Kremer (triceps), John Means (Tommy John surgery) and Kyle Bradish (UCL sprain on Sunday) have all hit the injured list since.

The injured trio has been replaced by right-hander Albert Suárez, who has pitched between the rotation and the bullpen this season, and left-hander Cade Povich, the Orioles’ ninth-ranked prospect.

Povich did not allow a run in six innings and struck out six against a battered Braves lineup Wednesday in his second career start.

New York Yankees (50-24, first in the AL East)

The Yankees’ last week was up and down, as they won three of four in Kansas City, Missouri against the Royals before losing two of three in Boston against the archrival Red Sox.

Offensively, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, who lead American League outfielders in All-Star Game votes and have the two best odds to win the league’s MVP, were on different ends of the spectrum when the Yankees and Orioles first met in 2024.

Judge was quiet, going one for 13 with two walks, while Soto batted six for 14 with two walks and a home run in the first series.

Judge has been on a tear since, as he leads the majors with 26 home runs with 20 of them coming since the first series against the Orioles, but the Yankees get a big shot in the arm on the mound for the second one.

On Monday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed that Gerrit Cole, the 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner will be activated off the injured list and will make his season debut and start the second game of the series on Wednesday.

Cole pitched twice against the Orioles in 2023, including a seven-inning performance in which he gave up no runs and one in which he gave up five runs in five-plus innings.

Luis Gil, the favorite for the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year, will supplant Cole in the series' third game.

Gil pitched six and a third innings, struck out five batters and gave up no runs on two hits and a walk in the Yankees’ lone win in their season’s first series against the Orioles.

Projected Starters (per ESPN)

Game 1 (June 18, 7:05 p.m. EST, TBS): RHP Albert Suárez (3-0, 1.61 ERA) vs. LHP Nestor Cortes (3-5, 3.59 ERA).

Game 2 (June 19, 7:05 p.m.): LHP Cade Povich (0-1, 4.76) vs. RHP Gerrit Cole (season debut).

Game 3 (June 20, 4:05 p.m.): LHP Cole Irvin (6-3, 3.03) vs. RHP Luis Gil (9-1, 2.03).

All stats and records are as of before the games on June 17, 2024.

Owen Klein is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ojk5092@psu.edu.