The Orioles reinstated Chris Bassitt from the 60-day injured list and he’s starting tonight in the opener of a four-game series against the Rays at Tropicana Field.

Yaramil Hiradlo was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to get the Orioles back to an eight-man bullpen. The 40-man roster is full.

Bassitt hasn’t pitched for the Orioles since June 3 in Boston. He underwent surgery to remove a bone spur in his lower back.

Bassitt is 1-7 with a 4.17 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) against the Rays.

Yandy Díaz is 2-for-16 against Bassitt. Chandler Simpson is 4-for-8 with a double. Former Oriole Cedric Mullins is 3-for-8 with a home run.

Gunnar Henderson has a career .318 (57-for-179) average against the Rays. His 57 hits are his highest total against any opponent.

Pete Alonso has recorded nine hits and scored six runs in his last four games. He’s the first Oriole to reach those marks over a four-game span since Jordan Westburg in July-Aug. 2025, per STATS.

The Orioles have scored five or more runs in each of the last four games to tie their longest streak this season. The last streak of five games was in July 2025.

The Rays are using left-hander Steven Matz as an opener. His last start was June 2, and tonight marks his 11th among 23 appearances.

Matz faced the Orioles in back-to-back appearances in May and allowed one run in four innings in St. Petersburg and six runs in three innings in Baltimore. He has a 4.79 ERA in 11 career games (seven starts) against the Orioles.

Alonso is 4-for-10 with a home run against Matz. Henderson is 3-for-6 with a homer.

Tampa Bay has won nine in a row and owns the best record in baseball at 74-46. A 41-18 home record also is daunting.

The Rays have swept 13 series this season, including each of their last three. They’re one behind the 1970 and 1980 Orioles and 2001 Mariners. The record is 15 in a season by the 1954 Indians and 2001 Athletics, with a minimum of three games in each series.

The Orioles and Blue Jays are two games back for the last Wild Card, with four teams ahead of them.

The Rays swept the Orioles at Tropicana Field this season and were swept at Camden Yards.

MLB Pipeline updated its top 30 prospects list yesterday and outfielder Eric Booth Jr., the seventh-overall pick in the 2026 draft, sits atop the Orioles’ board.

Right-hander Anthony Eyanson, a big part of the return from the Red Sox in the Adley Rutschman trade, moves down to second. Outfielder Enddy Azocar and right-hander Kyson Witherspoon, also included in the Rutschman deal, are ninth and 12th, respectively.

Right-hander Michael Forret, obtained from the Rays for Tyler Wells, is 10th.

Left-hander Joseph Dzierwa is third, followed by lefty Caden Hunter, outfielder/first baseman Ike Irish, outfielder Nate George, lefty Luis De León and shortstop Wehiwa Aloy.

Hunter, a sixth-rounder last year out of USC, was unranked before the season.

Outfielder Ty Head, a second-round pick this year, is 15th. Outfielder Kevin Roberts Jr., taken in the fourth round, is 29th.

Outfielder Harold Rivas, the player to be named later in the Rutschman trade, is 25th.

Outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. slides down to 18th, one spot behind pitcher Trey Gibson. Catcher Creed Willems is No. 28.

Booth also made MLB Pipeline’s top 100 list at No. 40. Keep in mind, he’s played two professional games with Class A Delmarva. He’s 18 years old and drafted out of high school. This is based mostly on his skill set and potential, but it’s still an honor.

Eyanson (49th), Dziewa (90th) and Hunter (98th) also are in the top 100.