O's game blog: The Orioles-Yankees series begins at Oriole Park

O's went 8-5 against New York in 2024

BALTIMORE - They have come home looking for runs, better pitching, cleaner defense, fewer injuries and more victories.

The Orioles (10-17) begin a week-long homestand tonight, hosting the New York Yankees (17-11) for three games and then Kansas City for three this weekend.

The O’s went 8-5 versus the Yankees last season and were 7-6 in 2023. It’s the first time they won two straight season series against the Yankees since taking three in a row from 2014-2016.

In winning eight of 13 last year against this club, the O’s pitchers posted a 4.19 ERA allowing a .714 OPS against New York. Their batters produced 4.77 runs per game in the 13 contests with a .732 OPS.

The Orioles won three of four series these clubs played last season.

But that was a season when they won 91 games and were 32-20 versus AL East teams. This club is now seven games under .500 and the Orioles are 4-5 this year within the division, going 2-2 at Toronto, 1-2 versus Boston and 1-1 versus the Blue Jays.

With cumulative records of 275-211 (.566) from 2022-2024, the O's and Yankees tied for the best record in the AL East and for second best in the AL, behind the Houston Astros (284-201, .586), during that time.

Sunday’s 7-0 loss at Comerica Park concluded a three-game sweep for first-place Detroit. The O’s were outscored 17-5 in the series. They have now been shutout four times on the year.

The O’s at the 27-game mark the last past three years:

2023: 18-9
2024: 17-10
2025: 10-17

Right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (2-1, 3.54 ERA) will make his sixth start tonight. He has thrown back-to-back seven-inning outings versus Cleveland and Washington. He threw 14 innings combined his first three starts and matches that in his past two, when he allowed 10 hits and five runs with no walks to four strikeouts.

The O’s are 3-2 in Sugano’s outings.

Sugano, who has an ERA of 10.80 in the first inning, allows an OPS of .726 to left-handed batters and .764 against right-handed hitters.

Righty Will Warren (1-0, 4.79) will face the O’s and be making his fifth start. The Yankees are 2-3 when he takes the ball. On the year he has allowed 16 hits over 20 2/3 innings with a 1.258 WHIP, a 4.4 walk rate per nine and 9.1 K rate.

Warren, who has allowed two earned runs or less in four of his five games, allows an OPS of .733 to lefties and .553 versus right-handed hitters.

The Orioles are just 1-6 the last seven games. In that span they have scored three runs or less each game with 12 runs total. The team batting line those seven games is .194/.271/.264/.535 with 65 strikeouts, three homers and going 6-for-60 batting with runners in scoring position.

The O’s went 2-for-23 with RISP in Detroit this past weekend.

The Yankees swept a doublheader Sunday over Toronto by 11-2 and 5-1 scores. They have a plus-42 run differential - tied with Detroit for the MLB lead. They are 9-4 their past 13 games. The Yankees rank seventh in the AL in team ERA (3.70) but are first in OPS (.816) and runs per game (5.54).