3-27-2024 10:04am

High Hopes:

Opening Day FAQ: Angels vs. Orioles

By: Rhett Bollinger & Jake Rill, Baltimore Orioles

BALTIMORE -- A raucous crowd will surely be packed into Camden Yards on Thursday afternoon, as the defending American League East champion Orioles are set to begin their title defense with an Opening Day matchup vs. the Angels, who will come in looking to play spoiler at the start of what they hope will be a breakthrough season.

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Last year, Baltimore went an AL-best 101-61 before getting swept in three games by eventual World Series champion Texas in the Division Series. The O’s are optimistic they’re strong enough to get back to the postseason -- especially following the offseason addition of ace Corbin Burnes, their Opening Day starter -- and then make a deeper run through October.

“I think we’re just as talented,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “But I think we need to have a lot of things go right, also, like everybody does, and stay healthy.”

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The Halos are entering a new era -- one under manager Ron Washington and without two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who signed with the Dodgers in the offseason. But they still have Mike Trout, as well as plenty of talented youngsters who are early in their big league careers.

When is the game, and how can I watch it?
First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET/12:05 p.m. PT on Thursday, and the game will be available to stream on MLB.TV. It will be televised on Bally Sports West and MASN.

What are the likely lineups?
Angels: The Angels are still determining how they will utilize the leadoff spot this year while Mickey Moniak, Aaron Hicks and Jo Adell will share time in right field and Brandon Drury and Luis Rengifo will move around the infield.

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Orioles: The lineup will likely be stacked with right-handed hitters against the left-handed Sandoval, so first baseman/designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn may begin the season on the bench. The 30-year-old will be in the lineup a lot against righty pitchers, though.

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Who are the starting pitchers?
Angels: Sandoval is set to make his first career Opening Day start, and is looking to bounce back in 2024 after a down year by his standards in ’23. Sandoval, 27, experienced a breakout 2022 campaign that saw him post a 2.91 ERA in 27 starts and then starred for Team Mexico in last year’s World Baseball Classic. But it didn’t quite carry over into the regular season, as he had a 4.11 ERA in 28 starts.

Sandoval, though, has been working with new pitching coaches Barry Enright and Steve Karsay to simplify things and get ahead of hitters. He’s pitched well against the Orioles with a 3.86 ERA in three career starts, including allowing one run over 6 1/3 innings in his lone start at Camden Yards in ’22.

Orioles: Burnes will make his O’s debut when he takes the mound for his third career Opening Day start. The 29-year-old started the Brewers’ opener each of the past two seasons, both at Wrigley Field. He allowed three runs in five innings vs. the Cubs in the 2022 opener, then allowed four runs in five innings against them in the first game of ’23.