Basallo catching to begin Orioles' series in Boston, plus pregame notes

BOSTON – The Orioles have won four of their last five games and are sending out another lineup tonight ripe with top prospects.

Samuel Basallo is catching his first major league game, with Adley Rutschman on the bench. Dylan Beavers is in right field.

Coby Mayo also is on the bench. Ryan Mountcastle gets the start at first base. Jeremiah Jackson is the designated hitter.

Left-hander Trevor Rogers has a 1.43 ERA and 0.808 WHIP in 11 starts. And it all began with his start at Fenway Park in Game 2 of a May 24 doubleheader, when he allowed two hits in 6 1/3 scoreless innings.

Hoyt Wilhelm (1.25 in 1959) is the only Orioles pitcher with a lower ERA in the first 11 starts in a season. Jim Palmer is third at 1.68 in 1975.

Rogers had allowed one run in each of his three starts this month totaling 21 innings. He closed out July by shutting out the Rockies on one hit in seven innings.

Rogers has made four career starts against the Red Sox and gone 0-2 with a 2.45 ERA in 18 1/3 innings. He’s allowed two runs in 12 1/3 innings in Boston.

The rotation has produced seven quality starts in the last 10 games and a 1.85 ERA.

Jordan Westburg has a 1.100 career OPS against the Red Sox, fifth highest among active players in a minimum 40 plate appearances, per STATS.

Gunnar Henderson has reached base safely in 34 of 35 career games against the Red Sox.

Henderson is the first player in the majors to reach base safely in his first 20 career games at Fenway Park since Tampa Bay’s Akinori Iwamura (21) from July 3, 2007-April 9, 2009.

The Orioles have split four games against the Red Sox at Fenway Park this season and lost two of three at home.

The Red Sox acquired right-hander Dustin May from the Dodgers at the trade deadline and he’s allowed three runs in 9 2/3 innings in two starts, with two walks and 12 strikeouts. He tossed six scoreless innings in Houston in his last outing.

May’s exposure to the Orioles consists of one relief appearance. He tossed two scoreless innings.

Dylan Carlson is 0-for-2 against May and he's in left field tonight. That’s it for the Orioles matchups.

The Red Sox are 68-57 and five games behind the first-place Blue Jays. They’ve gone 41-23 at home.

Boston has won seven home series in a row, its longest streak since 2013, per STATS.

For anyone still interested, the Orioles are 10 games back for the last Wild Card and have seven teams ahead of them. They’ve gone 30-30 at home and 27-37 on the road.

For the Orioles

Jackson Holliday 2B
Jordan Westburg 3B
Gunnar Henderson SS
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Colton Cowser CF
Samuel Basallo C
Jeremiah Jackson DH
Dylan Beavers RF
Dylan Carlson LF

Trevor Rogers LHP

Zach Eflin underwent lumbar microdiscectomy surgery today with Dr. Thomas Tolli in St. Petersburg, Fla. Eflin will rehab at home and become a free agent.

Outfielder Tyler O’Neill is with the team in Boston and chatted with some former Red Sox teammates before batting practice.

Triple-A Norfolk's Trey Gibson was named International League Pitcher of the Week. 

The Orioles released Double-A Chesapeake infielder Anthony Servideo, their third-round pick in 2020 out of the University of Mississippi. He hit .170/.293/.250 in 353 games over five minor league seasons.

The Red Sox signed Nathaniel Lowe today. Rob Refsnyder goes on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain.