Baltimore Orioles

The Cleveland Guardians and Baltimore Orioles both face ideal hitting matchups on Tuesday. 

Guardians starter Logan Allen allowed four earned runs in his first road start and can be vulnerable against right-handed bats, of which there are many in Baltimore’s lineup.

Charlie Morton has been hit well by three opponents in his first three Orioles starts. That trend could continue against a Cleveland offense that is less prone to strikeouts than others. 

A pair of offensive outbursts against Allen and Morton could continue an early trend at Camden Yards, where four of five games have had at least nine runs. 

Over 9 (-102)

The pitching matchup sets up for a potentially thrilling game at Camden Yards. 

Charlie Morton’s 8.78 ERA stands out more than Logan Allen’s 3.50, but both hurlers are susceptible to giving up crooked numbers. 

Allen let up four earned runs in his first road start of the season in San Diego. He also had a 5.20 ERA away from home in 2024. 

Allen’s splits against right-handed batters are concerning as well. Righties hit .306 with 18 home runs against him in 2024. 

Baltimore’s lineup is loaded with home-run hitting righties. Jordan Westburg is leading off, Adley Rutschman bats second and Tyler O’Neill is third. Gary Sanchez is getting the start at catcher, too, and can provide power from the middle of the order. 

Morton conceded at least four earned runs in all three of his starts for the Orioles. He let up two home runs in his lone home start, which is a good sign for Jose Ramirez and Co.

The matchups are too juicy to ignore on both sides, so it would be surprising if the Guardians and Orioles struggle to combine for nine runs. 

Charlie Morton Under 5.5 Strikeouts (+110)

Charlie Morton’s season strikeout total looks impressive, but it is inflated by a 10-punchout showing against the Boston Red Sox, who lead the majors in strikeouts entering Tuesday. 

Morton had three and four strikeouts in his other two appearances for the Orioles. 

Cleveland ranks 22nd in team strikeouts and Cole Ragans is the only starter to have more than six strikeouts against the Guardians in the last week.

Morton’s high walk rate doesn’t help either. He issued seven bases on balls in the last two starts, including five over five innings in his last outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The majority of Cleveland’s high-strikeout batters reside in the back half of the order, but they could be less susceptible to strikeouts for a few reasons.

Carlos Santana has a great history against Morton, Gabriel Arias had a pair of multi-hit games against the Royals and Kyle Manzardo has been Cleveland’s most patient hitter in the early season. They are three of the five Guardians hitters with 10+ strikeouts. 

Carlos Santana Over 0.5 Hits (-135)

Santana has the best batter-versus-pitcher history in Tuesday’s game.

The veteran first baseman owns a .364 batting average in 11 career at-bats against Morton. He has two home runs and three RBIs versus Morton as well.

Santana recorded a hit in four of his last six games and he should receive more pitches to hit from his spot directly behind Jose Ramirez in the Guardians order. 

He’s been better on the road as well in the young season with a .265 batting average and three multi-hit games away from Progressive Field.

Click into the DraftKings display below for more on this game and the rest of tonight's schedule.

The Baltimore Orioles won't have to wait much longer for Gunnar Henderson's 2025 debut.

Manager Brandon Hyde said the infielder is "probable" for Friday's game against the Kansas City Royals even though he was not yet activated ahead of Thursday's contest against the Boston Red Sox due to a right intercostal strain, per Noah Trister of the Associated Press.

Henderson's return comes at an ideal time, as the Orioles have felt his absence of late.

They were shut out in a 3-0 loss to the Red Sox on Wednesday after pushing across just one run in Sunday's 3-1 defeat to the Toronto Blue Jays. They are 3-3 on the season and have dealt with offensive inconsistency.

Baltimore scored at least eight runs in its three wins but scored a combined total of three runs in its three losses.

Henderson's return will come after he couldn't have scripted a much better start to his career.

He was the American League Rookie of the Year and a Silver Slugger in 2023 while slashing .255/.325/.489 with 28 home runs, 82 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He was even better in his second season with a .281/.364/.529 slash line, 37 home runs, 92 RBI and 21 stolen bases.

The 23-year-old's presence in the lineup is a major reason the Orioles reached the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and once again have high expectations in 2025. That he won't end up missing much time with his early injury should also help them avoid falling into too much of a hole in the AL East in the initial portion of the season.

Friday's game against the Royals marks the start of a six-game road trip before the Orioles return home for another series against the Blue Jays starting April 11.

The Baltimore Orioles will be without a key player to start the 2025 MLB season, and fantasy baseball managers should take note.

Per ESPN, Orioles general manager Mike Elias announced that shortstop Gunnar Henderson will begin the year on the injured list as he continues his recovery from a strained intercostal muscle suffered on Feb. 27.

Henderson resumed some baseball activities a week and a half ago with the goal of making it back to the field by Opening Day, but that's no longer a possibility. ESPN noted that the Orioles "have planned to be cautious in their approach" to the 23-year-old's recovery due to his history with abdominal injuries, as he dealt with left oblique discomfort during the first three weeks of spring training last year.

"It's definitely something we don't want to linger into the season and throughout the season," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said recently. "You want to make sure that's free and clear. He's so important to us. We want to make sure he's right and he's not playing through any sort of injury or soreness the first part of the season."

The 2023 American League Rookie of the Year, Henderson was even more impressive in 2024 as he earned his first career All-Star selection. He played in 159 games and hit .281 with 37 home runs, 31 doubles and 92 RBI.

Henderson was likely to get a lot of attention in fantasy baseball drafts. ESPN projected him as the No. 9 player in fantasy.

"While Henderson cooled somewhat in the power department during the season's second half -- nine home runs and .174 ISO in his final 64 contests -- his cumulative numbers nevertheless cemented him as one of the game's premier shortstops, both for real life and fantasy," his outlook stated. "He's a centerpiece of one of the game's best up-and-coming offenses and a genuine, annual 35/20 threat. He is a building-block piece in both points-based and dynasty leagues."

Despite his injury, it's worth drafting Henderson if he lasts late in the first round and stashing him until he's able to return to the diamond.

The Baltimore Orioles bolstered their rotation on Friday, signing starting pitcher Kyle Gibson to a one-year contract in free agency.

We have agreed to terms with RHP Kyle Gibson on a one-year contract for the 2025 season.

Welcome back to Birdland, Gibby! pic.twitter.com/TgxCFzKa9l

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) March 22, 2025

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Gibson's deal is worth $5.25 million.

The 37-year-old previously made 33 starts with the Orioles during the 2023 season before suiting up for the St. Louis Cardinals during his 2024 campaign.

Gibson's contract also includes $1.525 million in performance bonuses on top of his 2025 salary, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

He didn't appear to be the only rotation option that Baltimore was considering, with USA Today's Bob Nightengale reporting that its front office was also "in talks" with two-time All-Star Lance Lynn.

Gibson was inconsistent on the mound for the Cardinals last season, finishing with an 8-8 record to go along with a 4.24 ERA and 1.350 WHIP. He also recorded 151 strikeouts compared to 68 walks in 169.2 innings of work.

The veteran ended the year on a high note, though. Over Gibson's final five starts, he posted a 2.79 ERA while limiting opposing hitters to a .209 batting average.

Kyle Gibson (6.2 IP, 0 ER, 9 K) leads the @Cardinals to a win over Seattle. pic.twitter.com/C9fmA2c9Nk

— MLB (@MLB) September 8, 2024

He's played for five teams throughout his 12-year MLB career, making an All-Star appearance during a 2021 campaign that he spent with the Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies.

Gibson has shown that he can handle a large workload without any availability issues, recording at least 30 starts in each of the past four years.

He's expected to compete for a spot in the back of the Orioles' rotation after Grayson Rodriguez was set to open the 2025 season on the injured list due to elbow inflammation.

After one year in St. Louis, Gibson is back in Baltimore.

Fresh off the sting of losing Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander in free agency, the Baltimore Orioles are at least giving fans something to be excited about in 2025 by reducing prices for some of their food items.

The Orioles announced on Wednesday the Birdland Value Menu for home games that will feature discounted prices on select concessions.

Introducing our Birdland Value Menu!

Learn more: https://t.co/HgrJHRNtGx pic.twitter.com/jjoaTgo9ae

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) January 22, 2025

The Orioles said the new value menu is part of a bigger plan for the organization to make Oriole Park "one of the most family friendly ballparks" in MLB. They also touted tickets being available for as low as $15 and a family of four being able to attend a game in Baltimore for under $100.

Per the Sports Business Journal, the average price for a hot dog at all 30 MLB ballparks during the 2024 season was $5.99. The Toronto Blue Jays had the lowest average price ($2.55), while the Oakland A's had the most expensive ($8.39).

The Birdland Value Menu comes not that long after the Orioles were found to have one of the most expensive food selections across MLB.

In a May 2023 report from USA Today's Jordan Mendoza using data from 28 of the 30 teams, the Orioles had the most expensive hot dog in MLB at $8.25 and tied for the second-most expensive beer at 69 cents per ounce.

Beer prices were done using price per ounce since not every team sells the same size, with differences ranging from 12-to-16 ounce cans and 24-ounce cups. The only teams that didn't provide data were the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays.

While it's unclear if there is any difference between the hot dogs that will be available throughout Camden Yards and those available where the Birdland Value Menu stands are located, getting a one at a more than 50-percent discount is a nice way to ease the financial burden on fans.

The Birdland Value Menu will be available at 10 different locations within Oriole Park, including six different locations in the main concourse.

The Orioles will play their first home game of the 2025 regular season on March 31 against the Boston Red Sox.

The Baltimore Orioles announced Tuesday that former pitcher Brian Matusz died at the age of 37.

Matusz, who spent nearly his entire MLB career with the organization, was honored by the Orioles through a heartfelt post on X:

Our hearts are heavy tonight as we mourn the passing of former Oriole, Brian Matusz.

A staple in our clubhouse from 2009-2016, Brian was beloved throughout Birdland, and his passion for baseball and our community was unmatched. He dedicated his time to connecting with any fan he… pic.twitter.com/wNN3WkO8l4

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) January 8, 2025

His cause of death was not announced.

The Grand Junction, Colorado, native played at least part of eight MLB seasons for the Orioles and appeared in one game for the Chicago Cubs during his career, which stretched from 2009 through 2016.

After starring collegiately at the University of San Diego, and earning the 2008 West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year Award, Matusz was selected No. 4 overall by the O's in the 2008 MLB draft.

Matusz pitched in only 26 minor league games between 2008 and 2009 before getting called up to the big leagues and joining Baltimore's starting rotation.

He was primarily a starter over his first three MLB seasons, including 2010 when he started a career-high 32 games and went 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA. However, Matusz was moved to the bullpen during the 2012 season, which turned out to be his calling.

After posting a 22-33 record, ERA of 5.36, WHIP of 1.52 and strikeout rate of 7.3 per nine innings over his first four seasons, Matusz improved significantly when he made a full-time move to the bullpen.

From 2013 to 2015, Matusz went 5-8 with a 3.32 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and a strikeout rate of 9.4 K's per nine.

Matusz was a hugely important lefty reliever for the Orioles during that time, including 2014 when Baltimore reached the American League Championship Series.

While he posted a career-best 2.94 ERA over 58 appearances in 2015, Matusz struggled to a 12.00 ERA in seven games for the Orioles early in the 2016 campaign, prompting them to trade him to the Atlanta Braves.

He was later designated for assignment and pitched in one game for the Cubs that season, allowing six earned runs in three innings.

After that, Matusz spent time pitching in the minor leagues, as well as in Mexico and for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, with whom he won a championship.

The Baltimore Orioles are adding to their pitching depth.

The team announced on X that it had signed veteran right-handed starting pitcher Charlie Morton to a one-year contract.

We have agreed to terms with RHP Charlie Morton on a one-year contract for the 2025 season.

Welcome to Birdland, Charlie! pic.twitter.com/QsqvAt3VLf

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) January 3, 2025

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported that the deal is worth $15 million.

Morton is entering his 18th MLB season and is a two-time All-Star with 383 career wins and two World Series rings. The 41-year-old went 8-10 with a 4.19 ERA in 165.1 innings in 2024 with the Atlanta Braves and is a reliable back-of-rotation starter.

The Orioles lost ace Corbin Burnes on the free agent market but still have a solid rotation headlined by Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer. The team also signed Tomoyuki Sugano from the NPB this offseason.

The Orioles are coming off back-to-back playoff appearances and went 91-71 in 2024. The team has not been able to win a postseason series since 2014 and will hope Morton's significant playoff experience can help in that department.

Anthony Santander may have to wait a little bit longer to find his future home in free agency.

During Friday's episode of The Baseball Insiders podcast, Robert Murray of FanSided said that he doesn't believe "any deal is close" for Santander even with suitors like the Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels and Toronto Blue Jays.

Murray also reported that their is room for more suitors to join the market for Santander due to no deal being imminent.

Murray reported that the Detroit Tigers have "had dialogue" with Santander but that free agent infielder Alex Bregman is the team's preferred option. He also mentioned the Boston Red Sox as a team that could enter the market but that it has been quiet on their front.

Santander is entering his ninth season in MLB and had a breakout year in 2024. He hit .235/.308/.506 with 44 home runs and 102 RBIs in 155 games for the Baltimore Orioles.

While the 30-year-old can provide a jolt of power to any of his suitors, the aftermath of other signings like Bregman may need to occur before teams are ready to commit to Santander.

After losing star pitcher Corbin Burnes to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday, the Baltimore Orioles are exploring remaining free agents and potential trade options, including a possible reunion with the Los Angeles Dodgers' Jack Flaherty, according to The Athletic's Will Sammon and Katie Woo.

Flaherty made nine appearances for the Orioles in 2023, including seven starts.

In Flaherty's brief stint with the Orioles, he posted a 6.75 ERA with 42 strikeouts. Last season with the Dodgers, he had a 3.58 ERA, recording 62 strikeouts while allowing 52 hits in ten games.

The Orioles recently inquired about Flaherty after reports suggested he was their backup plan in case they missed out on Burnes, per Sammon and Woo. Additionally, the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, and San Diego Padres are all teams that could be targeting Flaherty for rotation upgrades.

The 29-year-old is also rumored to be a target of the San Francisco Giants, according to Sports Illustrated's Patrick McAvoy.

Just Baseball's Ryan Finkelstein recently predicted Flaherty will sign with the Giants, projecting a five-year, $100 million contract.

Flaherty has expressed a preference for a long-term contract, which could limit some teams' efforts to pursue him, according to Sammon and Woo.