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Baltimore Orioles Schedule 2018: April Showers O’s With Tough Start

By Christopher Church

SARASOTA, FL - FEBRUARY 23: Baltimore Orioles players look on while wearing Stoneman Douglas High School baseball caps to honor the 17 people killed earlier this month during a mass shooting prior to a Grapefruit League spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Ed Smith Stadium on February 23, 2018 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
SARASOTA, FL - FEBRUARY 23: Baltimore Orioles players look on while wearing Stoneman Douglas High School baseball caps to honor the 17 people killed earlier this month during a mass shooting prior to a Grapefruit League spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Ed Smith Stadium on February 23, 2018 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Baltimore Orioles Opening Day 2018 kicks off the regular season schedule, along with a grueling slate of April opponents.

The first month of the Baltimore Orioles schedule expects to be a very challenging one. The Orioles’ April schedule includes games against all five American League playoff teams from last season, first with a three-game series against the AL Wild Card Minnesota Twins.

Then after Opening Weekend at Oriole Park at Camden Yards concludes, the Orioles head out for a brutal seven-game road trip against reigning World Series champs Houston Astros and AL East rival New York Yankees.

Following the road trip, the Orioles return to Camden Yards for a three-game series on April 9-April 11 before jumping back on the road for another troublesome seven-game road trip.

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However this time around, the Orioles enter the tough confines of Fenway Park for a four-game weekend series from April 13-April16.

Finally, after a completing their second seven-game road trip of the month, the Orioles return home to play reigning AL Central champs Cleveland Indians from April 20-April 22.

Not to mention, the unkind April schedule comes after finishing the 2017 season with MLB’s toughest schedule, per TeamRankings.com’s MLB Strength of Schedule Rankings & Ratings.

Above all, the April schedule puts major stress on the Orioles unresolved starting rotation of Dylan Bundy, Kevin Gausman, Andrew Cashner and Chris Tillman.

According to Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun, it’s crucial the Orioles need a No. 5 starter in their rotation and may start the season with Miguel Castro in the bullpen as a long role reliever.

Pitching candidates to fill the Orioles final starting rotation spot consists of lefty Nestor Cortes Jr. and the 23-year-old Castro, per MASNSports.com’s Roch Kubatko.

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Comparing spring training stats, Cortes Jr. has the upper hand with a 4.35 ERA in 10.1 innings pitched to Castro’s 6.75 ERA in 6.2 innings pitched. Furthermore, Castro has struggled a bit with his control which has resulted in five walks this spring.

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