Gamethread: Orioles at White Sox (first pitch delayed by rain)

The Orioles have gone the extra mile to try to provide hittable pitching, but it sure hasn’t worked so far.

First, they’re rotation was such that their No. 1 starter is missing the entire four-game series. Then, after their No. 2 and a bunch of relievers tossed a shutout, their next starter got hurt, bringing on an emergency bullpen game started by a guy with an ERA of more than eight that resulted in a one-hitter.

Well, today, out of more desperation caused by injuries, Baltimore is giving even more of a try at helping out the White Sox, bringing in a pitcher from Norfolk who wasn’t doing well in Triple-A. That pitcher, Spenser Watkins, had an Oriole ERA of 6.00 before being sent down, which may not be good, but is a whole lot better than the 8.07 he sported last year.

Can the White Sox hit righty Watkins and a bullpen that has to be exhausted after the last couple of days? It would be nice. Losing the first two games at home against a last-place team — albeit last place in a killer division, which is probably equal to first in the AAAL Central — is pretty bad, but three in a row? Yikes.

On the mound for the White Sox is Lance Lynn, who sports a pretty awful 5.79 ERA himself, but has the excuse that he’s just beginning to get back into condition — well, pitching condition, since he’ll never be in a condition other than shaped like a beach ball — and could be back to his old self any time now. Today would be a good time.

Watkins tosses a low 90s four-seamer about 40% of the time, with an about-equal mix of cutters, sliders and curves and the occasional changeup after that. He’ll be facing a White Sox lineup that features Lenyn Sosa’s first start. Sosa even bats leadoff, and no, it doesn’t mean Leury García is out of the lineup — Leury is just shifted to short to give Tim Anderson the day off, again.

Lynn gets a break, with the Orioles giving red-hot catcher Adley Rutschman the day — or at least the start — off, along with their HR leader, Anthony Santander.

Maybe Lynn can at least hold the Orioles to fewer than yesterday’s five steals.

First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m., should Mother Nature permit. Fairly heavy rain is expected through 3 p.m., with the radar showing some yellow and orange stuff, so we may all get treated to those wonderful TV rain delay shows.