The Rays are done with the whole opener thing and are starting left-hander Ian Seymour tonight, which could keep Pete Alonso in the leadoff spot.

Alonso batted first last night for the first time in 1,130 games and went 2-for-5. Left-hander Steven Matz started, but he was done after one scoreless inning and Rays manager Kevin Cash turned to right-hander Jesse Scholtens.

Seymour is making his 39th appearance but only his 10th start.

How did this team begin last night with the best record in baseball?

Must be the offense, which led the majors yesterday with a .261 average. But the pitching staff was sixth with a 3.70 ERA and fifth with a .229 opponent average. The rotation’s 3.49 ERA and 1.11 WHIP were third.

This season is unlike any other that I can remember, and I don’t mean this in a good way. It’s annoying from top to bottom. But hopefully there are fans who find it entertaining.

I’d like to drive it into the country, push it out of the passenger door and speed away.

Seymour has made two starts this month and allowed two runs in six innings in Colorado and one run in six innings in Seattle. He’s walked two and struck out 16. So yeah, more than an opener, though he didn’t last more than two innings in his first 26 appearances.

So maybe it’s Alonso atop the order again instead of the left-handed hitting Gunnar Henderson.

Why Alonso last night?

“He hasn’t done it yet, so may as well check that box off in his career,” manager Craig Albernaz quipped in his pregame media session that aired on MASN.

“But all jokes aside, they’re going opener with Matz with a bulk guy behind him, so obviously there was some strategy with the lineup. And with Pete, one, he has the highest OPS on the team, so he’s been getting on base, so we like that quality in the leadoff spot. But also to maximize his at-bats, as well.

“I told him not to change anything. Don’t want to see him bunting for a hit. … He’s up for it.”

We’ll find out later if he’s all the way up in the order.

Perhaps it’s a good idea to keep Henderson fifth. He went 4-for-4 last night with a double and two-run homer.

*The Orioles began last night as one of only two teams in the majors lacking multiple 50-RBI players. The Blue Jays were in the same predicament, if that’s how we’re describing it.

Pete Alonso had 77 RBIs and Henderson had 49, the second-largest gap in the majors after the Reds’ Sal Stewart (89) and Elly De La Cruz (56). Henderson closed it with his two-run shot in the eighth inning that gave him 51.

According to STATS, the Orioles’ single-season record for largest gap between their top two RBI leaders is 69 with Jim Gentile (141) and Jackie Brandt (72) in 1961. That record seems safe.

Alonso and Henderson ranked ninth.

Miguel Tejada had 150 RBIs in 2004 and Melvin Mora was next with 104 for a gap of 46. Cal Ripken Jr. (114) and Randy Milligan (70) had 44 RBIs separating them in 1991.

Here’s the rest of the list:

2015, 31, Chris Davis (117) and Manny Machado (86)
2007, 31, Nick Markakis (112) and Miguel Tejada (81)
2013, 30, Chris Davis (138) and Adam Jones (108)
2001, 29, Jeff Conine (97) and Cal Ripken Jr. (68)
1998, 29, Rafael Palmeiro (121) and B.J. Surhoff (92)

Right below Alonso and Henderson are Mike Devereaux (107) and Anderson (80) in 1992.

*Kyle Bradish is making his 24th start tonight. He’s 7-11 with a 3.69 ERA in 127 innings.

Bradish has allowed only two runs in the first inning, compared to 12 in the second, 13 in the third, 12 in the fourth and 13 in the fifth. His 0.78 ERA in the opening frame is the third lowest in the majors in a minimum 20 innings.

The Phillies’ Jesus Luzardo is first because hasn’t surrendered a run. The Guardians’ Parker Messick is next at 0.75.

Bradish’s 0.78 ERA would be the lowest in the first inning of a season by an Orioles pitcher since

Bradish’s ERA would be the lowest by an Orioles pitcher since Kevin Brown (0.69) in 1995, per STATS.

Not the broadcaster, for those of you who are easily confused.

*Until yesterday, I didn’t know that Leody Taveras’ solo shot Wednesday in Minnesota broke a streak of 45 games in a row for the Orioles without a ninth inning homer.

The Rays had the longest streak with 61 games from May 8-July 19. The Rockies were next with 51, followed by the Brewers with 48 and Guardians with 47.

The Orioles hit six home runs in the ninth inning going into last night, the second fewest in the majors after the Brewers (five).

The more you know …

*Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Reed Trimble is back on the injured list.

Trimble came out of Thursday’s game with right hamstring discomfort. He’s already missed more than a month of the season with the same ailment.

Trimble went on the IL for the first time on March 28. He’s appeared in only 32 games, including 15 with Norfolk.

Heston Kjerstad hit his 11th homer last night. He’s homered in back-to-back games.

Kjerstad has eight home runs since July 1.

The second-overall pick in the 2020 draft also singled and scored on Creed Willems’ 16th home run.

*Catcher Ethan Anderson, the Orioles’ No. 16 prospect per MLB Pipeline, began his injury rehab assignment last night with High-A Frederick, and he hit a two-run homer in the first inning, singled three times and drove in another run. He also stole a base.

Anderson is on a planned progression after recovering from a left ankle injury. He was batting .270/.369/.520 with 11 doubles and 17 home runs in 68 games with Double-A Chesapeake.

The Orioles drafted Anderson in the second round in 2024 out of the University of Virginia.