New York @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Jun 9, 2010 ) NY Yankees 4, Baltimore 2
New York Yankees’ second baseman Robinson Cano is putting together an MVP-like season.
Baltimore Orioles’ rookie Jake Arrieta is probably well aware of that – especially since Cano has been a one-man wrecking crew against his new teammates.
Arrieta will find out how he measures up Thursday, when the Orioles' prized right-hander makes his debut against Cano and the Yankees, who seek an 11th straight win over Baltimore.
Cano has compiled some eye-popping stats against Baltimore this season. The six-year veteran has a .475 average with four home runs and six RBIs in 11 games vs. the Orioles.
But Baltimore pitchers shouldn’t feel too bad; it seems no one can get Cano out this season. He leads baseball with a .376 average, is tops with 88 hits and is fourth in RBIs (46) and OPS (1.033).
Cano continued his tear Wednesday with three hits – including the game-tying single in the Yankees’ 4-2 victory. It was his third straight three-hit game.
Owners of baseball's worst record, the Orioles hope Arrieta – their top pitching prospect – can help them slow Cano. That will be easier said than done, though, since it's safe to say the 24-year-old didn't face a hitter of Cano’s caliber in Triple-A Norfolk.
A fifth-round pick in 2007, Arrieta earned his long-awaited promotion by going 6-2 with a 1.85 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) with Norfolk.
Arrieta will be opposed by A.J. Burnett (6-3, 3.72), who hopes a matchup with Baltimore will get him back on track after he was rocked for six runs and six hits in six innings of a 6-1 loss to Toronto on Friday. Based on his recent history against Baltimore, Burnett should have little trouble rebounding from that poor outing.
The right-hander has been other-worldy against Baltimore this season, having allowed just eight hits and an unearned run in 15 1/3 innings over two wins. He allowed one run and five hits in 7 1/3 innings of a 4-1 win over Baltimore on May 4.
Burnett is 11-2 with a 4.41 ERA in 15 starts vs. the Orioles. More impressively, he is 5-0 with a 3.89 ERA in seven starts at Camden Yards.
The Orioles, who are 1-4 under interim manager Juan Samuel, have just six wins in the last 36 meetings with New York.