Wacha expected to start as Tampa Bay hosts Baltimore

Updated Jul. 21, 2021 3:20 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Baltimore Orioles (31-63, fifth in the AL East) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (56-39, second in the AL East)

St. Petersburg, Florida; Wednesday, 12:10 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Orioles: Keegan Akin (0-5, 8.19 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 46 strikeouts) Rays: Michael Wacha (2-2, 5.14 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 55 strikeouts)

LINE: Rays -170, Orioles +145; over/under is 8 runs

BOTTOM LINE: Cedric Mullins and the Orioles will take on the Rays Wednesday.

The Rays are 29-18 in home games in 2020. Tampa Bay is hitting a collective batting average of .230 this season, led by Joey Wendle with an average of .277.

The Orioles are 18-33 on the road. Baltimore's lineup has 102 home runs this season, Cedric Mullins leads them with 16 homers.

The Rays won the last meeting 9-3. Shane McClanahan recorded his fourth victory and Francisco Mejia went 2-for-4 with a triple, a home run and five RBIs for Tampa Bay. John Means took his third loss for Baltimore.

TOP PERFORMERS: Austin Meadows leads the Rays with 40 extra base hits and is batting .238.

Mullins leads the Orioles with 111 hits and has 35 RBIs.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rays: 7-3, .229 batting average, 3.45 ERA, outscored opponents by 13 runs

Orioles: 4-6, .235 batting average, 6.07 ERA, outscored by 23 runs

INJURIES: Rays: Ryan Thompson: (shoulder), Chaz Roe: (shoulder), Cody Reed: (thumb), Colin Poche: (elbow), Tyler Glasnow: (elbow), Oliver Drake: (forearm), Yonny Chirinos: (elbow), Jalen Beeks: (elbow), Chris Archer: (forearm), Nick Anderson: (elbow), Manuel Margot: (hamstring), Yandy Diaz: (undisclosed), Mike Brosseau: (oblique), Mike Zunino: (hip).

Orioles: Bruce Zimmermann: (arm), Travis Lakins Sr.: (elbow), Hunter Harvey: (lat), Richie Martin: (wrist), Freddy Galvis: (quad), Maikel Franco: (ankle), Chris Davis: (back).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.