masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe Orioles begin a four-game series against the Rays tonight at Tropicana Field with Jorge Mateo at second base, Richie Martin at shortstop and Ramón Urías at third.
Mateo has hit safely in eight of his nine games since joining the Orioles, going 10-for-35 (.286).
Austin Wynns is catching.
Anthony Santander, who’s the designated hitter, has registered a .378 average (17-for-45) in 12 games this month. He has a .318 average (21-for-66) with six walks in 18 games since the break.
DJ…

The Orioles begin a four-game series against the Rays tonight at Tropicana Field with Jorge Mateo at second base, Richie Martin at shortstop and Ramón Urías at third.

Mateo has hit safely in eight of his nine games since joining the Orioles, going 10-for-35 (.286).

Austin Wynns is catching.

Anthony Santander, who’s the designated hitter, has registered a .378 average (17-for-45) in 12 games this month. He has a .318 average (21-for-66) with six walks in 18 games since the break.

DJ Stewart is in left field. Each of his last six hits have gone for extra bases – three doubles and three home runs.

Reliever Marcos Diplán is the first pitcher in Orioles history to not allow a hit over his first four career outings. He’s walked one batter and struck out six in 6 1/3 innings.

Matt-Harvey-Deals-Gray-Sidebar.jpgMatt Harvey made his first career start against the Rays on May 18 and allowed six runs and seven hits in 1 2/3 innings, raising his ERA from 4.81 to 5.93. Brett Phillips and Austin Meadows hit three-run homers in the second.

Harvey has gone 3-1 with a 1.65 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in his five starts in the second half. His ERA is the fourth-lowest in the majors with a minimum of 27 innings.

For his career, Harvey has posted a 3.65 ERA in the second half compared to a 4.58 ERA in the first.

The Orioles have lost 11 in a row, three short of their longest streak of the season. They were outscored 30-5 while being swept in Boston and 104-34 during the latest skid.

The pitching staff has posted a 9.57 ERA.

The Rays are 11-1 against the Orioles this season, including 5-1 at The Trop. They’re starting right-hander Collin McHugh, who’s gone 4-1 with a 1.41 ERA and 0.918 WHIP in 25 games but only four starts.

McHugh has allowed seven earned runs (10 total) and 32 hits in 44 2/3 innings, with nine walks, 64 strikeouts and only one home run surrendered – in his first appearance on April 3 in Miami, when Adam Duvall took him deep.

McHugh hasn’t gone more than three innings or thrown more than 56 pitches. He’s made four relief appearances against the Orioles, won twice and shut them out on three hits over seven innings with two walks and 13 strikeouts.

In 14 career games against the Orioles, McHugh is 3-0 with a 4.98 ERA and 1.362 WHIP in 43 1/3 innings. Trey Mancini hit a solo home run against him in the ninth inning of an April 2, 2018 game in Houston that broke up the Astros’ attempt at a combined shutout.

Mancini is batting .356/.453/.711 (16-for-45) with four doubles, four home runs and nine RBI in 12 games against the Rays this season.

The Rays will make their typical maneuver of going to their bullpen early. Their relievers have posted a 3.16 ERA and 1.14 WHIP that ranks first in the American League and second in the majors. Their 493 1/3 innings also are first in the AL and second in the majors.

For the Orioles
Cedric Mullins CF
Trey Mancini 1B
Anthony Santander DH
Austin Hays RF
DJ Stewart LF
Ramón Urías 3B
Jorge Mateo 2B
Austin Wynns C
Richie Martin SS

Matt Harvey RHP

Zac Lowther began his injury rehab assignment today in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League and worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings with one hit, no walks and three strikeouts.

Update: Ryan Mountcastle remains in concussion protocol but is doing baseball activities today, including batting practice and defensive drills. He’ll be evaluated again on Tuesday.

“I think if all things go well, it could be the next day or two,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

Reliever Hunter Harvey could rejoin the Orioles in “the next week or so,” Hyde said.

Norfolk Tides infielder Rylan Bannon was named Triple-A East Player of the Week after slashing .500/.632/1.643 (7-for-14) with five home runs, nine RBIs and six runs in five games.

Here’s the Rays lineup:

Brandon Lowe 2B
Ji-Man Choi 1B
Randy Arozarena LF
Austin Meadows DH
Joey Wendle SS
Mike Brosseau 3B
Brett Phillips RF
Kevin Kiermaier CF
Francisco Mejía C

Collin McHugh RHP

Update II: Manual Margot is now in left field and batting third.