You probably knew that the Tampa Bay Rays are the AL’s best team, and the Orioles are the worst. But did you also know that the Orioles have the league’s best team average and OBP against left-handed pitching, and that the Rays are terrible at hitting left-handers?
Tonight’s loss was one that the Birds had a chance of avoiding. Or maybe it was totally predictable. In the end, the Birds pitched OK, but got very little going against Rays lefty Ryan Yarbrough, while a Tampa Bay hitter with a .302 OPS against lefties—yes, that’s OPS—struck the game’s biggest blow against Orioles starter Keegan Akin with a two-run dinger in the fourth.