The Baltimore Orioles welcome the Atlanta Braves to Camden Yards on Saturday, July 25, for a 7:05 PM ET first pitch that puts two intriguing starting pitchers in the spotlight. Brandon Young gets the ball for Baltimore while Bryce Elder draws the assignment for Atlanta. With Gunnar Henderson anchoring a lineup that also features Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward, and Tyler O'Neill, the Orioles have the offensive firepower to make life difficult for any opposing starter. This is a meaningful interleague test under the lights in Baltimore.

Pitching Matchup: Brandon Young vs. Bryce Elder

Brandon Young gets the start for the Orioles. The right-hander will be working against a Braves lineup that still carries recognizable names, including Matt Olson at first base and Ozzie Albies at second. Young's job is straightforward: limit the damage early, work deep enough into the game to spare the bullpen, and let Baltimore's offense do its thing.

On the other side, Bryce Elder takes the mound for Atlanta. Elder is a pitch-to-contact style arm who relies on inducing weak contact and working efficiently. Against a Baltimore lineup constructed around middle-of-the-order power, Elder will need his command to be sharp from the first inning. One bad sequence against Alonso or Henderson in a short game can unravel a start quickly.

Baltimore Orioles Starting Lineup

• 1. Dylan Beavers, RF
• 2. Pete Alonso, 1B
• 3. Gunnar Henderson, SS
• 4. Taylor Ward, LF
• 5. Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 3B
• 6. Leody Taveras, CF
• 7. Tyler O'Neill, DH
• 8. Jackson Holliday, 2B
• 9. Chadwick Tromp, C

Atlanta Braves Starting Lineup

• 1. Drake Baldwin, C
• 2. Ozzie Albies, 2B
• 3. Matt Olson, 1B
• 4. Michael Harris II, CF
• 5. Mauricio Dubón, LF
• 6. Dominic Smith, DH
• 7. Austin Riley, 3B
• 8. Mike Yastrzemski, RF
• 9. Jim Jarvis, SS

Keys to Watch at Camden Yards

Henderson and Alonso as the Core of the Order

Batting second and third respectively, Pete Alonso and Gunnar Henderson represent the heart of what Baltimore wants to do offensively. Getting those two going early against Elder sets the tone for the whole lineup. Henderson in particular has the ability to change a game with one swing, and Alonso's presence in the two-hole puts consistent pressure on opposing pitchers to throw strikes.

Jackson Holliday at the Bottom of the Order

Holliday batting eighth is a name worth tracking all night. The young second baseman hitting low in the order gives Baltimore a second-time-through-the-lineup threat that keeps the pressure on Atlanta's pitching staff into the middle innings. How Holliday performs in his at-bats can quietly determine whether Baltimore's offense reloads or stalls.

Michael Harris II and Austin Riley for Atlanta

Harris in center field and Riley at third base are the two Braves hitters Young needs to be most careful with. Riley hitting seventh in this particular lineup suggests Atlanta is deploying a different construction than usual, which means Young should still treat that spot in the order with respect every time through.

Prediction

Camden Yards on a Saturday night is one of the better settings in baseball, and Baltimore has the lineup construction to put up runs in bunches. If Young can keep Atlanta's lineup manageable through five or six innings, the Orioles' offense has enough in the middle of the order to carry this one. Orioles win, 5–3.

Coverage begins at 7:05 PM ET on MASN and 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan.