***Join us in the Orange Crush live chat beginning at 3:00 as the Orioles take on the Detroit Tigers in the home opener!***
BALTIMORE – Fresh off a sweep to begin the season in Tampa Bay, the 3-0 Orioles return home for Opening Day to take on the Detroit Tigers (1-2) and to begin the 20th season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Jake Arrieta takes the hill hoping to continue the pitching success from the weekend — specifically with the starters — after allowing only three runs in three games. Manager Buck Showalter downplayed the overall significance of the hot start but acknowledged the benefit of a good start for a young team short on winning experience.
“It’s certainly not a bad thing,” Showalter said. “I don’t think anybody will have higher expectations than, hopefully, our players have of themselves and them as a group.”
However, all is not rosy on Opening Day as Jeremy Guthrie has been hospitalized with the flu. His fever spiked overnight and underwent tests on Monday morning to determine the nature of the illness, according to Showalter. Brad Bergesen would start in his place on Wednesday should Guthrie be unable to go.
“We’ll see what the next couple days bring,” Showalter said. “We’ll probably make a decision on that [Tuesday].”
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It’s not exactly the news Orioles fans wanted to hear after Brian Matusz was placed on the disabled list over the weekend and veteran Justin Duchscherer continues to work his way back from back and hip issues on the 15-day DL.
In other injury news, Showalter said Luke Scott (groin) would be available this afternoon, but the manager’s preference is to rest his regular left fielder until Wednesday in “a perfect world” scenario. Felie Pie will start in Scott’s place.
Here are this afternoon’s starting lineups:
Detroit
CF Austin Jackson
2B Will Rhymes
RF Magglio Ordonez
1B Miguel Cabrera
DH Victor Martinez
LF Brennan Boesch
SS Jhonny Peralta
C Alex Avila
3B Brandon Inge
SP Rick Porcello
Orioles
2B Brian Roberts
RF Nick Markakis
1B Derrek Lee
DH Vladimir Guerrero
C Matt Wieters
CF Adam Jones
3B Mark Reynolds
LF Felix Pie
SS J.J. Hardy
SP Jake Arrieta
As we do for each weekday home game, please join us in the Orange Crush live chat beginning at 3:00 as the Orioles look for their first 4-0 start since 1997. Drew Forrester and an array of WNST.net personalities will be chatting and offering their thoughts on the red-hot Orioles. Remember to follow us on Twitter (@WNST) for the latest news and analysis from Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Visit the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault to hear from Showalter, Jake Fox, J.J. Hardy, Mark Reynolds, and Chris Tillman as we welcome the Orioles back to Baltimore on a beautiful April afternoon!
