The Baltimore Orioles host the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM ET. Brandon Young takes the ball for Baltimore opposite Shane McClanahan for Tampa Bay. This is a regular-season AL East matchup between two division rivals, and with playoff positioning on the line in late August, every game in this series carries real weight. Catch the action on MASN locally or tune in on WBAL 1090 AM.

Pitching Matchup: Brandon Young vs. Shane McClanahan

The pitching matchup is the headline here. Shane McClanahan is one of the more dangerous arms in the American League when healthy, and his presence in the opposing rotation is always a challenge for any lineup. Brandon Young gets the start for Baltimore, and this is an opportunity for the young right-hander to make a statement against a divisional opponent on a Saturday night stage at Camden Yards.

Neither pitcher's current ERA or win-loss record is available at time of publication, so we'll let the action on the field do the talking. What matters is execution — limiting walks, generating weak contact, and keeping the opposing offense off balance deep into the game.

Baltimore Orioles Starting Lineup

• 1. Jackson Holliday — 2B
• 2. Pete Alonso — DH
• 3. Coby Mayo — 1B
• 4. Tyler O'Neill — RF
• 5. Gunnar Henderson — SS
• 6. Christian Encarnacion-Strand — 3B
• 7. Christian Franklin — LF
• 8. Leody Taveras — CF
• 9. Carlos Narváez — C

Keys to Watch for Baltimore

Jackson Holliday Setting the Table

Holliday leads off for the O's and is the engine that gets this offense moving. His on-base ability at the top of the order directly affects how much damage Pete Alonso, Coby Mayo, and the middle of this lineup can do against a pitcher of McClanahan's caliber. Getting Holliday on base early puts pressure on Tampa Bay from pitch one.

Gunnar Henderson Hitting Fifth

Henderson slotted into the five-hole is worth noting. Hitting behind Alonso and Mayo gives Henderson protection in the lineup and ensures he sees pitches to hit rather than careful pitching around him. How he performs against McClanahan will be one of the game's central subplots.

Young's Command and Pitch Mix

Against a Tampa Bay lineup that typically makes pitchers work deep into counts, Young's ability to throw strikes and avoid walks will be critical. Keeping the Rays off the bases and out of big innings is the job description tonight. If Young can give Baltimore five or six quality innings, the bullpen can close it out.

Prediction

This is the kind of late-August game Camden Yards was built for — a packed house, a divisional rival, and meaningful baseball. The Rays will not be easy out with McClanahan on the mound, but Baltimore's lineup has enough pop from top to bottom to put up runs against anyone. Give me the Orioles in a tight one, 4-2, with Young delivering a solid outing and the Camden Yards crowd making life difficult for Tampa Bay late.