Orioles-Reds series preview: Hays returns to Baltimore as the O’s take on Cincinnati

The Orioles welcome the surging Cincinnati Reds to Camden Yards this weekend because the O’s play their first house interleague collection of the season. The 2025 season marks the 55-year anniversary of their 1970 World Collection matchup, and each the Reds and O’s come into this collection on the lookout for indicators that they’ll contend this season.

Cincinnati began the 12 months 2-6, together with shedding three straight 1-0 video games, however is 7-4 since. Offense continues to be a problem for the Reds, as their .213 and .626 OPS put them close to the underside of each classes for your complete MLB. Terry Francona’s workforce is coming off its highest-scoring collection of the season, placing up 18 runs whereas dropping two of three to the Mariners.

This collection will function the second bittersweet reunion of the 12 months, as long-time Oriole Austin Hays returns to Camden Yards with the Reds. The previous All-Star solely simply got here off the IL and made his season debut in opposition to Seattle, going 4-13 with two HRs and 6 RBIs. It is going to be Hays’ first time going through off together with his former workforce after being traded to the Phillies finally season’s commerce deadline after which signing with Cincinnati as a free agent.

The O’s have confronted the squad from the Queen Metropolis every of the final three seasons. The O’s received solely one of many three video games in 2022 and 2023, however swept the Reds in Nice American Ballpark in 2024. Final 12 months’s collection noticed one of many rotation’s greatest three-game stretches of the season, as Cole Irvin, John Means and Dean Kremer mixed to pitch 19.1 shutout innings whereas permitting solely six mixed hits. It was additionally an enormous collection for Adley Rutschman, who went 6-13 with a HR, two 2Bs and 4 RBIs.

The Orioles’ pitching scenario is actually much less vivid proper now, even after some good outings of their collection win over Cleveland. Brandon Hyde has but to announce a starter for Saturday’s sport, as that would be the first time Baltimore makes use of a fifth starter since Zach Eflin landed on the IL.

Recreation 1: Friday, April 18th, 7:05pm ET, MASN2

LHP Cade Povich (0-1, 3.60 ERA) vs. LHP Andrew Abbott (1-0, 1.80)

Povich makes his third house begin of the season after not factoring within the determination final Sunday vs. Toronto. The second-year left-hander has positively proven indicators of enchancment in 2025, however continues to be giving up tons of laborious contact. The 25-year-old has allowed 24 hits throughout 15 innings in his first three begins, with opponents at present hitting .369 in opposition to him.

A part of Povich’s downside has been a .451 opponent BABIP, a quantity that ought to regress positively for the lefty because the season wears on. Nonetheless, Povich is giving up a 50% hard-hit price to solely a 17.6% whiff price and he’ll have to determine a strategy to miss extra bats if he desires to stay within the rotation long-term. The Reds could also be an ideal get-right opponent for him, although, as they arrive in hitting .141 in opposition to LHPs.

Abbott was glorious in his season debut final Saturday in opposition to Pittsburgh, permitting solely two hits and one run over 5 innings of labor. After lacking the primary couple weeks of the season as a consequence of a rotator cuff pressure, the previous second-round select of Virginia is seeking to solidify himself close to the highest of the Reds’ rotation.

Abbott was sharp in opposition to the O’s final season, putting out eight over 5 innings whereas giving up two runs, although he took the L because the Reds mustered just one run of help. The Reds’ lefty will as soon as once more take a look at Brandon Hyde’s lineup development. Abbott favors his sweeper in opposition to lefties, and Jackson Holliday and Cedric Mullins have been the Orioles’ greatest bats in opposition to sweepers this season.

Recreation 2: Saturday, April nineteenth, 4:05pm ET, MASN2

TBD vs. RHP Hunter Greene (2-1, 0.98 ERA)

The Orioles haven’t had an even bigger pitching mismatch all season than rolling out a makeshift fifth starter in opposition to the Reds’ ace and rising famous person. Greene, the No. 2 choose from the 2017 draft, at present leads MLB in pitching WAR at 1.5 and has racked up 31 Ks in 27.2 IP this 12 months. The 25-year-old’s calling card is his explosive four-seam fastball, together with his heater averaging over 99mph in 2025. Opponents are hitting solely .183 in opposition to the four-seamer and he backs it up with a slider that opposing batters have but to register successful in opposition to.

Greene additionally excelled in opposition to the O’s final 12 months, pitching 5.2 scoreless innings with 5 Ks in a sport Cincinnati misplaced 3-0. Given the Orioles’ struggles in opposition to fastballs this 12 months, their greatest hope on Saturday ought to be attempting to get deep in counts in opposition to Greene and run up his pitch rely early. The Reds’ bullpen is hard (as they at present have the fourth-best bullpen ERA in MLB), however going through anybody else can be simpler than going through Greene.

Maintaining themselves within the sport whereas Greene continues to be on the mound will likely be a problem, because the O’s will possible give Brandon Younger his MLB debut Saturday as a fill-in fifth starter. Younger is already on the 40-man roster and, with Kyle Gibson nonetheless ramping up, the one wholesome possibility Baltimore has to show to of their time of want. The 26-year-old has a 2.73 ERA in three begins at Norfolk this 12 months, placing up 17 Ks in 16.1 innings. The O’s lately moved him right down to Aberdeen, presumably so he’s near Baltimore after they name him to the massive leagues.

Recreation 3: Sunday, April twentieth, 1:35pm ET, MASN2

RHP Charlie Morton (0-4, 8.84 ERA) vs. LHP Nick Lodolo (2-1, 2.31)

Sunday sees one other pitching matchup that’s decidedly within the Reds’ favor, because the 41-year-old Morton takes on the 27-year-old Lodolo. Morton has been the Orioles’ worst starter all through the primary 4 journeys by means of the rotation, with opponents at present placing up a .968 OPS in opposition to the 18-year vet.

Morton’s struggles are largely as a consequence of opponents teeing off on his curveball. Opposing hitters are hitting .435 in opposition to Charlie’s Uncle Charlie and slugging an alarming .870. MLB’s second-oldest lively participant is simply too typically leaving the curveball over the center of the plate and is failing to overlook bats with the breaking ball. Morton’s 28% whiff price on his curveball is his lowest since 2012.

Again in 2012, the Reds’ Lodolo was simply starting his freshman season at Damien Excessive College in La Verne, CA. 13 years later, the previous first-round choose is as soon as once more off to a robust begin, posting a 2.31 ERA and 0.81 WHIP over his first three begins. Lodolo is true finesse pitcher, counting on a low 90s fastball with a number of run, a breaking ball that’s someplace between a curveball and sweeper and a superb changeup.

The O’s did tough up Lodolo a bit final 12 months, tagging him for 4 runs in 5 innings, together with this Jordan Westburg homer. Lodolo has been a considerably higher starter on the street than in Cincinnati, nonetheless, and can look to proceed that pattern in his first begin in Camden Yards.