Orioles at Tigers
The only drama left in the season for the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles is finding out which team will end up with the worst record in the league and the No. 1 pick in next June's draft. The Tigers, who host the Orioles in the second of a four-game series on Saturday, have the inside track at that No. 1 pick as the season winds down.
Detroit picked up its 103rd loss of the season in Friday's 6-2 series-opening loss and sits 3 1/2 games behind Baltimore, which avoided its 100th setback with the victory. The Tigers, whose loss Friday marked their third straight and fifth in the last six games, still have a series each against American League Central powers Minnesota and Cleveland left on the schedule but showed some fight earlier this week against the New York Yankees and recorded 10 hits on Friday, including three from shortstop Jordy Mercer. Baltimore, which is trying to avoid picking at the top of the draft for a second straight year, won two of its last three games and began a string of 13 straight games against sub-.500 teams on Friday. The Orioles will try to continue pulling away behind right-hander Gabriel Ynoa on Saturday while the Tigers counter with lefty Daniel Norris.
TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, MASN 2 (Baltimore), FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Gabriel Ynoa (1-8, 5.79 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Daniel Norris (3-12, 4.72)
Ynoa is looking for his first win since July 17 after spending the last few months bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen. The 23-year-old Dominican Republic native came on in relief against Texas in his most recent appearance on Sunday and allowed two runs and six hits - two home runs - in two innings. Ynoa started at home against Detroit on May 27 and was held out of the decision while yielding two runs and five hits in four innings.
Norris was limited to three innings in each of his last six starts as the Tigers try to hold him to an innings limit in his first full, healthy season. The 26-year-old, who maxed out at 101 2/3 innings in 2017 and is up to 135 1/3 in 2019, took the loss at Oakland on Sunday while yielding one run and one hit in his three frames. Norris went up against Ynoa on May 27 and suffered a loss while allowing four runs - two earned - and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles DH Mark Trumbo (knee) is 5-for-19 in eight games since making his season debut and has yet to draw a walk.
2. Tigers DH Miguel Cabrera went 0-for-4 on Friday, snapping a nine-game hitting streak.
3. Baltimore RF DJ Stewart homered in two of his last three games.