MINNEAPOLIS – The Orioles begin their three-game road series against the Twins with Coby Mayo at third base and Dylan Carlson in left field.
Heston Kjerstad is in right. Jackson Holliday is the second baseman.
Left-hander Cade Povich has a 5.16 ERA and 1.652 WHIP in six starts. He faced the Twins, the team that traded him at the 2022 deadline, on Sept. 27 at Target Field and tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings with two hits.
Povich owns a career 2.08 ERA in eight starts against the American League Central, the lowest for any Orioles starter in a minimum five starts. Kyle Bradish is next at 2.51, per STATS.
Also from STATS: Povich has gone at least five innings and allowed two earned runs or fewer in four straight road starts. The only Orioles lefties with longer streaks this century are Erik Bedard (2004-2005), Bruce Chen (2005) and John Means (2021) with five apiece.
The Orioles have collected four hits or fewer in six road games this season, tied with the Rockies for most in the majors. Their 112 hits away from home this season are the third-fewest in club history through 16 games, per STATS, with the record 105 in 1972. They totaled 111 in 1954.
Right-hander Pablo López has made five starts and posted a 2.25 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in 28 innings. He hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in a start, and he’s surrendered only two home runs and walked four batters.
Right-handers hit .218 with a .642 OPS in López’s career, and left-handers hit .266 with a .746 OPS. He’s allowed only four runs and struck out 28 batters in 22 2/3 innings against the Orioles.
Adley Rutschman is 3-for-9 with a home run. Ryan O’Hearn is 3-for-11 with a double and home run.
Minnesota’s rotation has the lowest ERA in baseball at 2.32 since April 8, and also is first in opposing OBP at .274, OPS at .615 and WHIP at 1.08.
Byron Buxton and Cedric Mullins are two of the four players in the majors to lead their team in hits, home runs and steals. Mullins would be the first Oriole to finish first in all three categories.
The Orioles swept the Twins last year in Minnesota to close out the regular season, and they have a 10-game winning streak in the series. It’s their longest streak against an opponent since taking 12 in a row over the Royals from 2006-08.
With a sweep this week, the Orioles would have their first 13-game winning streak against a team since taking 15 straight from the Blue Jays from 1978-79, per STATS.
For the Orioles
Cedric Mullins CF
Gunnar Henderson SS
Adley Rutschman C
Ryan O’Hearn DH
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Jackson Holliday 2B
Heston Kjerstad RF
Coby Mayo 3B
Dylan Carlson LF
Cade Povich LHP
For the Twins
Byron Buxton CF
Ryan Jeffers C
Ty France 1B
Carlos Correa SS
Royce Lewis DH
Brooks Lee 2B
Harrison Bader LF
Jonah Bride 3B
Willi Castro RF
Pablo López RHP