The Orioles snapped a five-game losing streak last night with a 4-1 victory in Anaheim and will try tonight to win back-to-back for only the third time.
Jackson Holliday moves atop the order for the second time in his career. Cedric Mullins is lowered to sixth.
Mullins went 0-for-5 last night and is in a 1-for-30 slump. He’s hitless in his last 15 at-bats.
Gunnar Henderson is the designated hitter and Jorge Mateo is at shortstop. Emmanuel Rivera had two hits and an RBI last night and he’s at third base again tonight.
Kyle Gibson makes his third Orioles start tonight after allowing 12 runs and 16 hits with six homers in 7 2/3 innings. He’s registered a 5.83 ERA and 1.452 WHIP in 15 career starts against the Angels, and he owns a 7.27 ERA and 1.587 WHIP in seven starts in Anaheim.
Jorge Soler is 2-for-23 with two home runs, seven walks and 11 strikeouts against Gibson. Yoán Moncada is 8-for-22 with three doubles and seven strikeouts.
Reliever Matt Bowman cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk.
Angels right-hander Jack Kochanowicz is a third-round draft pick in 2019 who has a 5.79 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in seven starts. It’s regression from 2024 when he made 11 starts and had a 3.99 ERA and 1.194 WHIP.
Kochanowicz isn’t a strikeout pitcher, averaging 3.4 per nine innings last year and 4.8 this season. Left-handers bat .305 with an .833 OPS against him, while right-handers hit .252 with a .685 OPS.
Tonight marks his first start against the Orioles. Ramón Laureano is 1-for-3 with a home run.
For the Orioles
Jackson Holliday 2B
Adley Rutschman C
Gunnar Henderson DH
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Ryan O’Hearn RF
Cedric Mullins CF
Heston Kjerstad LF
Emmanuel Rivera 3B
Jorge Mateo SS
Kyle Gibson RHP
For the Angels
Zach Neto SS
Nolan Schanuel 1B
Yoán Moncada 3B
Taylor Ward DH
Logan O’Hoppe C
Luis Rengifo 2B
Jo Adell RF
Kyren Paris CF
Matthew Lugo LF
Jack Kochanowicz RHP