Orioles and Diamondbacks Square Off for Game 2

Pitching Matchup

Kyle Bradish RHP , 9-6, 3.03 ERA , 133.1 IP . The 26 year old right-hander is having a breakout season. Drafted by the Angels in the 4th round in 2018, he was included in a trade for Dylan Bundy in 2019. It took Bradish until last year to make it to the majors. He posted a 4.90 ERA and 4.45 FIP in 23 games, 118 innings pitched. He made the Orioles opening week rotation and has been solid all year. He's allowed three earned runs or less in 21 of his 24 starts.  He's only allowed four earned runs in his last four starts, and the Orioles have gone 4-0 in those games, with Bradish picking up the win in two of them. 

Bradish throws a four seam, sinker, slider, and curveball and will mix in the occasional change up against left hand batters. His two fastball average just a tick under 95 MPH. The slider is the show stopper. He uses it 30% of the time and has an elite spin rate that gives him well above average horizontal movement. Batters are hitting just .181 and slugging .289.  The whiff rate on the pitch is 37%. His four seamer can be hit however, as batters are raking to a .398 batting average on that pitch. 

Slade Cecconi RHP, 0-0, 2.57 ERA in 21 innings is making his fourth start since being called up and has also made two relief appearances.  The 24 year old has been throwing mostly a fastball/slider combo, and has used his curve and changeup sparingly. So far that approach has worked as hitters are batting just .184 on the fastball and .125 on the slider. 

Cecconi has an interesting mix of both swagger and respectfulness. In his last outing there was a telling matchup with Reds outfielder Nick Martini who was red hot in the series against the Diamondbacks last week. Two pitcher and hitter locked up in a 14 pitch at bat, neither giving. When it was over  Cecconi had struck out Martini and as the hitter walked back to the dugout Cecconi gave a respectful tip of the cap. 

"That was probably one of the most difficult at bats I've ever had...every time I made a good pitch he just fouled it off. After I threw a slider out of the zone back door down and he fouled it off I was like man what can I throw this guy to get him out. I had thrown him three different pitches all in different locations multiple time and he was just fighting. So if felt good to finally win it, and a lot of respect to him for fighting like that."