Game Thirty-One: Baltimore Orioles at Kansas City Royals

Birds vs Boys in Blue

A showdown of the G’s will take place at Kauffman Stadium tonight, with Kyle Gibson and the Orioles taking on Zack Greinke and the Royals. Kansas City will look to even the series after dropping the opener in a slugfest.

Gibson was Baltimore’s marquee free agent addition this past offseason (lol), signing a one-year deal for $10 million. He’s been basically exactly what you would expect: a 3.93 ERA and 4.36 FIP while averaging a bit under six innings per start. Having spent so long in Minnesota, the Royals have seen plenty of Gibson. In 142.1 innings across 26 games against Kansas City, he has a 3.79 ERA and 3.56 FIP. His last start against the Royals was almost two years ago on June 26, 2021, as a member of the Texas Rangers. He had his best start of the season, punching out ten over seven shutout innings.

Greinke is coming off a rough start against Minnesota that pushed his ERA north of six. His strikeout rate has rebounded to around his 2021 level, but he’s been very homer-prone of late, with seven longballs allowed in his last four starts. His struggles have mostly come on the road as he has a solid 3.63 ERA in three starts at Kauffman Stadium this year with only one homer allowed. He last started against Baltimore in Camden Yards on May 8 last year, surrendering season-high-tying ten hits but just two earnies in 5.2 innings.

First pitch: 6:40 pm CDT

Royals lineup

Orioles lineup