The series that begins tonight at Comerica Park in Detroit is huge for both teams.

The Orioles are 51-55 and 2 ½ games out of the last Wild Card, with four teams ahead of them. The Tigers are 50-56, also in fourth place, and 3 ½ behind.

With the trade deadline exactly one week away, the Orioles have lost two of three games to the Red Sox and Braves while hoping to convince the front office to be buyers.

“We’re way better than what our record shows, but we’ve given a lot of stuff away collectively through mistakes and what have you throughout the year,” said first baseman Pete Alonso. “So that’s why our record is what it is. But we have the ability to go on a run. We have the ability to do damage and win a lot of games. We have that ability. We just need to execute and do that.”

Alonso said this after sitting at his locker in full dirt-covered uniform, waiting for media to enter the clubhouse following manager Craig Albernaz’s post-game session down the hall. He saw a few reporters begin walking toward him and confirmed that he was ready for us.

He wanted to take full responsibility for the double play on Gunnar Henderson’s line drive with the bases loaded and no outs in the 10th. Matt Olson caught it and stepped on the bag before Alonso could dive back.

Alonso was much harder on himself than necessary, considering he had little time to react and he homered in the eighth inning to wake up the offense. He also made several good plays at first base, strengthening the argument that he should be considered for a Gold Glove, even if he isn’t graceful at the position.

The leadership surfaces in various ways with Alonso.

Now, he needs to lead them to a series win in Detroit.

Alonso is batting second again tonight after Dylan Beavers. Gunnar Henderson is the designated hitter, with Jackson Holliday at shortstop.

Holliday is making his first start at short this season and eighth in the majors.

Coby Mayo is the third baseman instead of Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Chadwick Tromp is catching again.

Encarnacion-Strand has reached base 12 times, including three home runs, to go with nine RBIs in seven games with the Orioles. The last Orioles/Browns player with those marks in his first seven games was Pinky Hargrave in 1925, according to STATS.

Alonso (99 hits, 22 home runs) needs one more hit to join Matt Olson as the only players with seven or more seasons and at least 100 hits and 20 homers since 2019.

Beavers is among five Orioles with at least three walk-off hits at age 24 or younger in the last 50 seasons. Eddie Murray had six, Manny Machado and Nick Markakis four, and Beavers and Cal Ripken Jr. three.

Henderson has reached base in 19 of 23 career games against Detroit, slashing .310/.368/.517 (27-for-87) with seven doubles, one triple, three home runs, 11 RBIs, eight walks and 11 runs.

The Orioles were 4-for-27 with runners in scoring position against the Braves.

Kyle Bradish has lowered his ERA to 3.49 in 20 starts. He’s allowed five runs this month in 20 1/3 innings.

Teams are 2-for-25 against Bradish’s slider in his last six starts.

Bradish has made one career start against the Tigers, on April 30, 2023 at Comerica Park, and allowed three runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Gleyber Torres is 4-for-8 with three walks against Bradish.

Bradish has registered a career 2.44 ERA against American League Central teams, the third best by any Orioles pitcher in a minimum 10 starts, per STATS. Bradish’s 1.74 ERA against the AL West ranks first, followed by John Means’ 2.05 ERA versus the AL West.

The Orioles’ bullpen leads the majors with a 1.45 ERA since the All-Star break.

The Orioles are 9-17 in one-run games, the second-worst percentage in the majors after the Mets (9-19).

Right-hander Keider Montero has a 3.14 ERA and 0.962 WHIP in 22 games, including 16 starts. He’s surrendered only 10 home runs in 106 innings.

Montero has made six appearances this month, including Wednesday’s start at Wrigley Field, and allowed four runs over 18 1/3 innings.

Montero has a 3.86 ERA in three career appearances against the Orioles. Colton Cowser is 4-for-5 with a double and two homers, but Leody Taveras is playing center field tonight.

More Montero: He’s the only starter in the majors in a minimum 50 innings to allow fewer than seven hits per nine innings (6.97) while also striking out fewer than seven batters per nine (6.09).

The Tigers lead the majors with a .283 average, .351 on-base percentage and 119 hits in the first inning. The .492 slugging percentage, .843 OPS and 66 RBIs are second.

The Orioles won two of three against the Tigers in May, including a doubleheader split. Chris Bassitt and Dietrich Enns were the winning pitchers. Bassitt is on the injured list and Enns is in Triple-A.

The Tigers swept the Orioles in a three-game series in Detroit in 2025. The Orioles’ last three-game sweep in Detroit came in 2004.

For the Orioles
Dylan Beavers RF
Pete Alonso 1B
Gunnar Henderson DH
Taylor Ward LF
Leody Taveras CF
Jackson Holliday SS
Coby Mayo 3B
Jeremiah Jackson 2B
Chadwick Tromp C

Kyle Bradish RHP

For the Tigers
Kevin McGonigle SS
Dillion Dingler C
Colt Keith 3B
Riley Greene DH
Spencer Torkelson 1B
Zach McKinstry RF
Hao-Yu Lee 2B
James Outman CF
Matt Vierling LF

Keider Montero RHP