The reigning AL East Champion Baltimore Orioles will kick off the 2024 campaign at home today against the Los Angeles Angels. The Orioles were 101-61 overall last year and 49-32 at Camden Yards, and if you think they were a force last year, this year they will be even better. The O’s acquired the 2021 Cy Young winner, Corbin Burns, from Milwaukee to bolster their rotation and he is expected to get the nod today in the opener. Burns was 10-8 last year with a 3.39 ERA and a ridiculous WHIP of only 1.069 which was the best in the majors. The Halos, who were 73-89 last year, are expected to turn to southpaw Patrick Sandoval to throw strikes. He had just 7 wins with 13 losses in 2023 and a 4.11 ERA. The Angels new skipper, Ron Washington, will have his work cut out for him this year. Starting pitching is an issue, Shohei Ohtani jumped ship to the Dodgers, Mike Trout is still Mike Trout but getting older, and Anthony Rendon is always injured. Baltimore swept Los Angeles in a 3-game set in their last meeting in September and was 5-2 overall last year against the Halos. Consider the O’s.
TODAY’S PICK: BALTIMORE ORIOLES