Today at 1:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. ET, the New York Yankees (75-69) and Baltimore Orioles (86-59) take the field at Camden Yards for a day-night double header in what are the opening two matchups of a four-game series. The games can be live streamed here. New York fans can hear all of the action on WFAN 101.9 while Baltimore fans can do the same on WBAL 1090.
New York opens up a seven-game road trip after going 5-4 on their recent home swing while Baltimore comes home for 10 games after going 4-2 on a six-game trip to Tampa Bay and Boston with its magic number down to 8.
The Orioles own a 10-game lead atop the American League East and will look to keep building toward a division crown and playoff berth while they are also in search of a fifth straight win. New York, meanwhile, is in third place in the AL East, 10-1/2 games behind the O's and are four games out of a wild-card spot in the AL.
Brandon McCarthy (9-14, 4.13 ERA) mans the mound for New York in the day game while the Orioles counter with Kevin Gausman, who is 7-7 with a 3.83 ERA. In the night cap, the Yankees turn to the debuting Bryan Mitchell while the Orioles go with Bud Norris (12-8, 3.92 ERA).
News broke Thursday that Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis is banned for 25 games due to testing positive for amphetamines. Davis is hitting just .196 this season with 26 homers and 72 RBI along with an MLB-leading 173 strikeouts.
While the Orioles are resting comfortably in first place in the AL East, Buck Showalter isn't ready to talk about the chances of Baltimore clinching a division title at home during this 10-game homestand.
"If there comes a day where that is the day that something like that we could be fortunate enough to have it happen, then we can talk about it," O's manager Buck Showalter told MLB.com, "but we've got a lot of roads to cross there."
The Yankees are hopeful that they can put together a full-team effort as any losses at this stage are a major set-back due to New York having four teams to jump in order to get a wild-card spot.
"Guys need to step up, that's the bottom line," said manager Joe Girardi via MLB.com. "I've said all along, it takes more than 25 guys to win and get into the playoffs."
New York faces a Baltimore lineup that has been paced by outfielder Nelson Cruz, who leads the MLB with 39 homers and is second in the AL in RBI (101, tied), third in total bases (290) and fifth in slugging percentage (.529).
The Orioles will also get a boost from shortstop J.J. Hardy, who is hitting .281 with nine homers and 52 RBI and is slated to return from being sidelined with lower-back issues. Centerfielder Adam Jones has paced the O's with a .286 batting average this season and has added 25 long balls and 85 RBI.
The Yankees counter with a lineup that is flanked by outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who leads the team with a .278 batting average and 67 RBI while he is also second in the AL with 38 stolen bases. First baseman Mark Teixeira leads New York with 21 homers while outfielder Brett Gardner is tied for second in the AL with eight triples.
The Orioles look to continue to march toward a division crown while the Yankees try to stay alive in the wild-card race when these two AL East rivals take the field at Camden Yards for a day-night double header in Baltimore.
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