Kyle Gibson returns to Orioles for matchup vs. Yankees

The Baltimore Orioles are taking a turn toward the past for their Tuesday night game against the visiting New York Yankees.

Veteran right-hander Kyle Gibson will be on the mound for his first major league outing of the season. He spent 2023 with the Orioles, winning a career-high 15 games, before going 8-8 with a 4.24 ERA last year with the St. Louis Cardinals.

“I know one thing, he’s going to compete every single time out and he’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever been around in a clubhouse,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “He pitched really well for us a couple years ago, had a nice year in St. Louis last year. He kept us in the game more times than not two years ago and was absolutely fantastic.”

Gibson last pitched April 20 for Class-A Aberdeen, and he is 1-1 with a 3.75 ERA in three minor league starts this year. In his career against the Yankees, he is 3-7 with a 5.48 ERA in 13 starts. Last year, he threw seven innings of one-run ball in a win over New York on Aug. 31.

The Orioles need a sustained boost. They won 4-3 in the series opener on Monday, marking just their second victory in the past eight games.

“The way this game is, you get hot and just keep it going,” said Orioles designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn, who belted a three-run homer. “I think (Monday) was a step in the right direction.”

Left-hander Carlos Rodon (3-3, 3.50 ERA) will be New York’s starting pitcher in the middle game of the series. He received a decision in every outing this season, earning victories in the past two, both on the road. Rodon threw six shutout innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 18, and he gave up one run, which was unearned, in seven innings against the Cleveland Guardians on April 23.

Across those two outings, he struck out 17 and walked six.

Rodon gave up five homers over his first four games, but neither the Rays nor the Guardians took him deep.

In seven all-time outings vs. the Orioles (including six starts), Rodon is 0-3 with a 5.58 ERA while giving up six home runs in 30 2/3 innings.

The Yankees gave now-former closer Devin Williams a chance to work the eighth inning Monday when they trailed by a run. The results were encouraging.

“I liked his look out there, he was aggressive,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It was good to see him get out there and have a 1-2-3. I thought he had some real good conviction with every pitch he threw.”

It wasn’t all good news Monday for the Orioles, who put third baseman/designated hitter Jordan Westburg (strained left hamstring) and catcher Gary Sanchez (inflamed right wrist) on the injured list. Infielder Emmanuel Rivera and catcher Maverick Handley were promoted from Triple-A Norfolk to fill the roster vacancies.

“It can be deflating,” O’Hearn said. “(Westburg) is a huge part of this lineup and this team. We need him back as soon as possible. It’s kind of the nature of the game. Hopefully, we can avoid more guys dropping like that.”

Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge has an on-base streak of 25 games, the fifth-longest stretch of his career. He went 2-for-5 with an RBI on Monday but struck out in the ninth inning against Felix Bautista.

“When you play the Yankees, it seems like Judge is going to hit in the ninth every single time,” Hyde said.

The Yankees have dropped three of their past four road games.

–Field Level Media