Wednesday afternoon Orioles game thread: at Royals, 2:10 ET

Q: What time is the Orioles vs Royals game today?

The Orioles vs Royals game is scheduled for 2:10 PM ET.

Q: Who is starting pitcher for the Orioles against the Royals?

Chris Bassitt is the starting pitcher for the Orioles in today's game against the Royals.

Q: What is Michael Wacha's ERA this season?

Michael Wacha has a 1.00 ERA this season, having allowed only three runs in his four starts.

Q: What challenges do the Orioles face in today's game?

The Orioles face challenges from a strong performance by Royals pitcher Michael Wacha and their own inconsistent offense.

Apr 17, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Chris Bassitt (40) reacts in the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images The Orioles/Royals series so far has played out like a competition between two closely matched opponents. And that’s not a good thing for the O’s. The Royals entered the series with the worst record in the American League — and, in fact, still have it — but the Birds haven’t exactly feasted on them like you’d hope a good team would. The O’s were a strike away from losing the opener before finally showing a pulse at the last minute, and yesterday the Orioles let a winnable game slip away, blowing an early 3-0 lead and a late 5-4 lead in a frustrating defeat that snapped Kansas City’s eight-game losing streak. The problems that have gripped the Orioles all season remain unsolved. Losing a series to the Royals would be the latest ignominy for the 2026 Orioles, but that’s what’s on the table this afternoon if they drop the rubber game. It’ll be up to Chris Bassitt to try to prevent that from happening. The Royals have one of the league’s worst offenses, but that didn’t stop them from putting a million runners on base against Kyle Bradish and Shane Baz in the first two games. So Bassitt is really going to need to step up his performance from what he’s shown so far as an Oriole. In all likelihood, this is going to be another tough day for the Orioles offense, at least for the first half of the game. They’re facing and his 1.00 ERA. He’s given up only three total runs in his four starts this year, going at least six innings in each of them. Orioles hitters generally have had no luck against quality starting pitchers, or even against less-than-quality starting pitchers, so I’m expecting nothing from them today. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised. In any case, their best bet is to get Wacha out of the game by the sixth inning or so and take their chances against a horrendous Royals bullpen, if Bassitt can keep the score close in the meantime. If it does end up being a close game, Craig Albernaz is going to have some difficult decisions to make with his bullpen. Two of the club’s top relievers — , and — have each pitched the last two nights and are probably unavailable. didn’t pitch last night but threw 25 pitches on Monday, so he might be limited. , who struggled last night, was placed on the bereavement list before the game, with Jose Espada coming up from Triple-A Norfolk as an extra arm. If the Orioles have a late lead, Albernaz might have to turn to some combination of Nunez, , and . We’ll see how that goes, or if the Orioles can even get to that point. **Orioles lineup:** SS DH Taylor Ward RF 1B C CF 2B LF 3B RHP Chris Bassitt **Royals lineup:** 3B SS Bobby Witt Jr. 1B DH C 2B RF LF CF RHP Michael Wacha