masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgNEW YORK – The latest check on the Orioles’ rotation shows that it’s still ranked 28th in the majors with a 5.11 ERA. Only the Reds at 5.27 and the Twins at 5.18 slot below them.
Orioles starters have worked a total of 496 1/3 innings, the fewest in the majors. The Reds are 29th with 497.
Dylan Bundy is being inched forward in his pitch counts, and hopefully innings, after moving into the rotation. Vance Worley made his first start last night since April 15 and didn’t figure to provide a…

NEW YORK – The latest check on the Orioles’ rotation shows that it’s still ranked 28th in the majors with a 5.11 ERA. Only the Reds at 5.27 and the Twins at 5.18 slot below them.

Orioles starters have worked a total of 496 1/3 innings, the fewest in the majors. The Reds are 29th with 497.

Dylan Bundy is being inched forward in his pitch counts, and hopefully innings, after moving into the rotation. Vance Worley made his first start last night since April 15 and didn’t figure to provide a significant amount of length, though he was hoping for more than 4 1/3 innings.

Yovani Gallardo gets the ball tonight and he’s worked five, 5 1/3, six, four, five and five innings since coming off the disabled list. He’s completed six innings only twice this season.

gallardo-pitching-white-sidebar.jpg

The Orioles need to find a way to get him to the next level, but he completed six innings only once in his final 11 starts in 2015.

Gallardo is 1-1 with a 5.60 ERA in three career starts against the Yankees. He’s made one start in the Bronx, back on May 24, 2015, and held them to two runs and four hits over six innings.

Starlin Castro is 16-for-41 with three doubles against Gallardo, Chase Headley is 9-for-25 with a home run and Jacoby Ellsbury is 4-for-10 with a double and triple.

If Caleb Joseph is catching again tonight, he might want to use a mitt made out of the same material as his protective cup. Otherwise, Ellsbury may destroy it with one swing.

The Orioles aren’t accusing Ellsbury of doing anything illegal while drawing nine catcher’s interference calls this season, but they also believe something needs to be done besides having Joseph or Matt Wieters set up at the backstop.

Yankees starter Michael Pineda is 3-9 with a 5.56 ERA in 19 starts this season, but he’s also averaging 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings. Get ready to hear lots of that annoying Yankee Stadium whistle after each whiff.

Pineda is available to any team looking for rotation help and the Orioles’ impotent offense could raise his stock. He’s surrendered 10 runs and 10 hits in 11 innings in two starts this month. He’s 3-2 with a 4.10 ERA in nine career starts against the Orioles while also averaging 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings. They’ve drawn a total of seven walks in 57 2/3 innings.

J.J. Hardy is 7-for-15 with three home runs against Pineda. Adam Jones is 7-for-23 with two doubles and a home run, Manny Machado is 5-for-13 with a double, Nolan Reimold is 4-for-9, Jonathan Schoop is 2-for-10 with a double and home run, and Ryan Flaherty is 1-for-12 with four strikeouts.