Alonso and Baltimore Host a Struggling Angels Squad at Camden Yards

The Los Angeles Angels limp into Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Thursday sitting at 43-71, one of the worst records in baseball, while the Baltimore Orioles at 56-58 are fighting to stay relevant in the second half. This is a game with real stakes for one side and very little to play for on the other.

Baltimore's case for relevance runs squarely through Pete Alonso. The first baseman leads the Orioles in batting average (.248), home runs (23), and RBI (71) — he is, without question, the engine of this offense. When Alonso is locked in, Baltimore has a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat that can carry a lineup. Against an Angels pitching staff that has spent most of 2026 in survival mode, Alonso figures to be the most dangerous bat on the field. Brandon Young is expected to take the mound for the Orioles, and how he manages Alonso's protection in the lineup will shape the game's early rhythm.

For Los Angeles, the offensive identity is more fragmented. Nolan Schanuel leads the Angels with a .275 batting average — respectable contact work on a team that hasn't had much to celebrate. Zach Neto's 19 home runs give the Angels a legitimate power threat, and Vaughn Grissom's 47 RBI suggest he's been productive in run-scoring situations. The question is whether any of that translates against a Baltimore club that, despite its middling record, is playing with more urgency. Ryan Johnson is expected to start for the Angels, and he'll need to keep Alonso in check early if Los Angeles wants any shot at stealing a road win.

Our model doesn't have a validated read on this one, so no lean to offer. What the numbers do tell you plainly: a 43-71 team traveling to face a club that needs wins is a tough spot. The Angels have the individual pieces to make noise — Neto's power is real, Schanuel makes contact — but the record doesn't lie. Baltimore, at home, with Alonso swinging, is the more motivated side. Watch Alonso's at-bats against Johnson early. That matchup will likely set the tone for everything that follows.