Samuel Basallo remains out of the Orioles’ lineup for the opener of a split-doubleheader in Boston.

Basallo is day-to-day with right shoulder soreness.

Pete Alonso is batting second again. Tyler O’Neill is the cleanup hitter.

Coby Mayo is serving again as the designated hitter, with Christian Encarnacion-Strand playing third base. Leody Taveras is in center field and Jackson Holliday is the second baseman.

Tyler O’Neill’s resurgence in July is helped by his 74.5 percent contact rate, compared to 68.5 before the month. During this surge, his average is .500 against fastballs and his slugging percentage 1.200.

Dean Kremer starts Game 1 and Kyle Bradish takes the mound in Game 2, his first appearance  signing his five-year extension.

Kremer has a 4.15 ERA in five starts. He’s allowed six runs over nine innings in his last two appearances.

Masataka Yoshida is 5-for-10 with a double against Kremer, who owns a 5.04 ERA in 10 starts against the Red Sox. Jarren Duran is 5-for-11.

Kremer has a 6.28 ERA in six starts at Fenway Park.

Bradish, and it seems like I’ve written this a dozen times in the last few days, has posted a 2.12 ERA in his last five starts. He faced the Red Sox on April 26 at Camden Yards and allowed three runs in five innings. Willson Contreras hit a two-run homer.

Bradish is 1-6 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.432 WHIP in 10 starts against the Red Sox. He has a 13.50 ERA and 1.900 WHIP in three starts at Fenway Park, with 15 runs allowed in 10 innings.

Contreras is 2-for-4 with two homers and two walks. Duran is 2-for-11 with a double, home run and five strikeouts.

Today marks the Orioles’ third doubleheader and first on the road. They split with the Astros and Tigers.

Boston has won 14 games in a row to improve to 51-48 and hold the third Wild Card. The Orioles are three back in the chase for it.  

The Red Sox intended to start left-hander Ranger Suárez last night after reinstating him from the injured list, but they decided to give him an extra day and start rookie southpaw Eduardo Rivera. The plans changed again with the rainout.

Rookie left-hander Jake Bennett, the Nationals’ second-round draft pick in 2022 out of the University of Oklahoma, is starting Game 1.

Bennett, traded to the Red Sox in December 2025, has registered a 2.35 ERA and 0.876 WHIP in nine starts. He’s walked nine, struck out 38 and surrendered three home runs over 53 2/3 innings.

Bennett has made back-to-back starts with no runs allowed over a combined 13 innings. He’s registered five quality starts in a row with only three runs in 33 innings.

Left-handers are hitting .149/.200/.149 against him and right-handers are hitting .220/.257/.312.

Suárez could make his return in Game 2. The Orioles, meanwhile, are 12-18 in games started by southpaws.

Suárez has made four career starts against the Orioles and registered a 4.32 ERA in 25 innings. He’s carrying a 3.15 ERA this season in 17 starts after signing a five-year, $130 million deal. He hasn’t pitched since July 5.

Alonso is 3-for-21 with two doubles, nine walks and seven strikeouts against Suárez.

Both teams will get a 27th man for Game 2.

For the Orioles
Taylor Ward LF
Pete Alonso 1B
Gunnar Henderson SS
Tyler O’Neill RF
Coby Mayo DH
Leody Taveras CF
Christian Encarnacion-Strand 3B
Jackson Holliday 2B
Sam Huff C

Dean Kremer RHP

The Orioles aren’t listing their starters for the weekend series against the Braves at Camden Yards.

For the Red Sox
Masataka Yoshida DH
Ceddanne Rafaela CF
Wilyer Abreu RF
Willson Contreras 1B
Caleb Durbin 3B
Romy Gonzalez 2B
Jarren Duran LF
Connor Wong C
Tsung-Che Cheng SS

Jake Bennett LHP