Right-hander Chris Tillman will start for the Orioles in Tuesday's American League wild-card game.
It was Tillman's turn in the rotation, but the Orioles also gave consideration to right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, who has a 2.45 ERA in his last seven starts and tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his last start in Toronto on Thursday.
But Tillman _ despite a recent stint on the disabled list that slowed his second half _ has been the starting rotation's anchor. He is 16-6 with a 3.77 ERA and was a stopper for a struggling rotation earlier in the season.
Tillman came one out short of a quality start in his last outing _ which came Wednesday in Toronto _ allowing two runs (one earned) over 5 2/3 innings in a 3-2 win over the Blue Jays.
Over his career, Tillman has long struggled against the Blue Jays and at the Rogers Centre, but this season he's pitched better, posting a 3.63 ERA in four starts against Toronto. He owns a 2.38 ERA in two starts at the Rogers Centre.
Those numbers are far better than those over his career against the Blue Jays. In 24 career starts against the Blue Jays, Tillman is 5-10 with a 5.44 ERA and his numbers are worse _ 2-6, 7.01 ERA _ in 13 starts at the Rogers Centre. Last season, Tillman was 0-4 with a 11.72 ERA in four starts against Toronto.
The Blue Jays announced they will counter with right-hander Marcus Stroman, who is 9-10 with a 4.37 ERA on the season and allowed four runs on nine hits over seven innings Thursday against the Orioles on Thursday in Toronto.
Stroman is 2-3 with a 5.07 ERA in seven career outings (six starts) against the Orioles. He is 1-2 with a 7.04 ERA in three starts against Baltimore this season.
The Orioles handed Stroman his shortest start of the season on June 19, pounding him for seven runs on 10 hits over 3 2/3 innings in an 11-6 Orioles win at Camden Yards. In two starts against the Orioles at the Rogers Centre, Stroman is 0-1 with a 5.84 ERA.
