Orioles manager Brandon Hyde sees the value of right-hander Jordan Lyles as a veteran presence and innings-eater. Although he brought both of those traits to the Tropicana Field mound Saturday for his Orioles debut, Lyles also carried the same run-prevention issues he’s had throughout his career.
The Tampa Bay Rays hit Lyles hard and often in a 5-3 victory as Baltimore dropped its first series of the season. The Orioles have lost 14 straight games to the reigning American League East champions and will try to avoid a sweep Sunday.
One of only 20 pitchers to throw 180 innings in 2021, Lyles, 31, is the highest paid and most experienced member of Baltimore’s pitching staff, with a deal guaranteeing him $7 million being the largest free-agent contract Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias has given out in four offseasons at the organization’s helm.
But that collection of innings last year for the Texas Rangers were not always quality ones. Lyles led the majors in home runs allowed and posted a 5.15 ERA, leaving his career mark at 5.21 across 11 campaigns.
It ticked up Saturday, with Lyles allowing five earned runs in five innings. With Francisco Mejía taking him deep in the third, the outing marked his major league-leading 13th since 2019 in which he lasted five or fewer innings, gave up five or more earned runs and allowed at least one home run. The two-run shot was one of 10 balls put in play against Lyles at 101 mph or harder, tied with Ubaldo Jiménez for the most allowed by an Orioles starter since Statcast was introduced in 2015.
Two came in a quick first in which Lyles needed only 10 pitches, but a 34-pitch second in which the Rays scored three times followed. In the top of the third, Ryan Mountcastle provided the Orioles’ first hit of the year with a runner in scoring position, homering the other way after Jorge Mateo walked and stole second, but Mejía’s homer in the bottom half pushed the deficit back to three.
Lyles worked a scoreless fifth before giving way to Keegan Akin, who pitched three excellent innings of relief. Expected to piggyback with Tyler Wells on Sunday, Akin instead needed only 31 pitches for three shutout innings, throwing only four balls and inducing 10 swing-and-misses.
Mateo doubled in a run in the ninth, but pinch-hitter DJ Stewart struck out to end the game, leaving the Orioles with two double-digit strikeout totals to open the year. They are 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
This story will be updated.
ORIOLES@RAYS
Sunday, 1:10 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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