After a split in their two-game series with the Marlins in the Sunshine State, the New York Yankees head north to Maryland to play the Baltimore Orioles in a four-game set, including a doubleheader on Saturday.
The Yankees, who have won four of their last five, are on a six-game road trip.
The Orioles, who were swept in Toronto by the Blue Jays, are on a four-game losing streak. Baltimore has lost eight of their last 10 and 11 of their last 13 games.
The Bronx Bombers are averaging 6.7 runs per game against the Orioles at Camden Yards this season, the most for any visiting team with at least four games played in that venue.
Giancarlo Stanton is hitting .385 at Camden Yards in 2018, the second highest average among all visiting players. Overall Stanton is sixth in baseball with 32 home runs and is just one long ball shy of reaching 300 in his career. The slugging outfielder is likely to reach that milestone in this series.
On Friday night’s series opener, CC Sabathia (7-4, 3.32 ERA) returns from the disabled list to start opposite Alex Cobb (4-15, 5.09 ERA). Sabathia, who has 22 starts this season, currently boasts a 3.32 ERA in 119.1 innings pitched. Cobb is pitching better recently, in his last four starts as he’s allowed just five runs over 23 innings of work and won two games.
On Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Yankees will send J.A Happ (14-6, 3.84 ERA) to the mound to start against Yefrey Ramirez (1-5, 6.49 ERA), who has lost five of his last 10 appearances. Against the Orioles this season the left-hander is 2-0 with an ERA of 1.00 while holding opposing hitters to a .172 batting average.
Although no official starters have been announced for the second game on Saturday, Sonny Gray (9-8, 5.34 ERA) is expected to get the starting nod, while the Orioles haven’t hinted yet who they’ll go with. Gray has a 5.56 ERA in 21 starts this season.
In Sunday’s series final Luis Severino (16-6, 3.28 ERA) will start against Andrew Cashner (4-11, 4.84), who has a 2-2 record in his last five starts. Severino’s 16 wins this season are tied for the most in baseball and he’ll be looking to add to that total when he makes his first appearance of the season against the Orioles.
