The rivalry between the Baltimore Orioles and San Francisco Giants represents one of baseball’s most intriguing inter-league matchups, with the teams having faced each other in 19 games since 2002.
The Orioles hold a slight edge in this historical rivalry, winning 10 games with 73 total runs (3.8 per game), while the Giants have claimed 9 victories with 80 total runs (4.2 per game).
Their most recent showdown on September 17, 2024, saw the Giants dominate with a shutout victory of 10-0, highlighted by Mike Yastrzemski’s home run and 2 RBIs.
The significance of these matchups extends beyond mere wins and losses, offering fans a rare glimpse at cross-conference competition between teams with contrasting styles.
The Orioles, led by young stars like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, bring a developing offensive powerhouse from the American League East, while the Giants counter with veterans like Michael Conforto and strategic National League play.
Player statistics reveal fascinating insights into team dynamics, as seen in their last five meetings where Baltimore posted a 60% Handicap-Runs Win percentage compared to San Francisco’s 40%.
These metrics help fans and analysts alike understand the competitive balance between these storied franchises as they continue to write new chapters in their interleague history.
Team Profiles of baltimore orioles vs san francisco
The Baltimore Orioles are currently sitting in 5th place in the AL East with a 7-10 record (.412), trailing the division-leading New York Yankees by 3.5 games.
Their roster features star players like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, with Rutschman serving as their primary catcher and two-time All-Star.
The O’s pitching staff includes veterans like Charlie Morton (17 strikeouts) and Zach Eflin (3.00 ERA), while Cedric Mullins leads the team with 3 home runs and 14 RBIs.
The San Francisco Giants are crushing it in the NL West, holding 2nd place with an impressive 13-5 record (.722), just 1.5 games behind the San Diego Padres.
Their hot streak includes a recent 9-1 blowout against the Yankees. Mike Yastrzemski has been on fire with a team-leading .343 batting average, while Wilmer Flores has powered the offense with 5 home runs and 15 RBIs. Jung Hoo Lee has been a revelation in center field, batting .338 with 10 doubles and 3 home runs.
In head-to-head comparisons, the Giants have better numbers across the board with 5.1 runs per game (vs. Orioles’ 4.2), a stellar 2.74 ERA (vs. Orioles’ 4.54), and 14 stolen bases (vs. Orioles’ 8).
Head-to-Head Historical Data
The Baltimore Orioles and San Francisco Giants have been duking it out on the diamond for years, playing a total of 24 games against each other with a perfectly even overall record of 12-12 (50%).
Their rivalry stretches back to 2002, with matchups occurring almost every few seasons. The most recent showdown happened on September 19, 2024, when the Orioles grabbed a thrilling 5-3 victory at home thanks to Anthony Santander’s walk-off two-run homer.
Looking at the last five games between these powerhouses, the Giants have slightly edged out the Orioles with three wins to two.
The Giants really flexed their muscles on September 17, 2024, with a dominating 10-0 shutout where Blake Snell struck out 12 batters and allowed just one hit.
The home-field advantage has been real for the Giants, who boast a 6-9 record at home but an impressive 6-3 record when visiting Baltimore. Meanwhile, the Orioles have struggled at home with a 3-6 record but shine on the road at 9-6.
In terms of run differential, the Giants have scored 80 total runs (4.2 per game) compared to the Orioles’ 73 runs (3.8 per game).
The Giants’ biggest blowout was their recent 10-0 win, while the Orioles’ largest margin of victory was an 8-run shellacking (10-2) back in August 2013.
Key Player Matchups
The Baltimore Orioles offense is led by Cedric Mullins, who’s crushing it with a team-leading .300 batting average, 4 home runs, and 17 RBIs.
He’ll face a tough challenge against Giants ace Logan Webb, who boasts a stellar 2.63 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 24 innings. This showdown between the O’s best hitter and SF’s top pitcher will be a game-changer.
The San Francisco Giants bring serious firepower with Jung Hoo Lee (.338 average, 10 doubles, 3 homers) and Mike Yastrzemski (.314 average, 3 homers).
They’ll be squaring off against Orioles starters like Dean Kremer (team-leading 2 wins) and Zach Eflin (3.00 ERA). Wilmer Flores (6 homers, 23 RBIs) could give the O’s pitchers headaches.
When comparing starting rotations, the Giants have the upper hand with Webb (2.63 ERA) and Robbie Ray (3 wins, 21 Ks). The O’s counter with Charlie Morton (19 strikeouts) and Eflin, but their numbers don’t quite stack up.
In the bullpen battle, Ryan Walker has been lights out with 4 saves and a 1.29 ERA for the Giants, while Felix Bautista has just 1 save for the Orioles.
The Giants relief corps features Tyler Rogers (1.00 ERA, 5 holds) and Randy Rodriguez (0.00 ERA in 8.2 innings), giving them a clear advantage in late-game situations.
Batting Statistics Breakdown
The San Francisco Giants are outperforming the Baltimore Orioles in most hitting categories this season. The Giants have a team batting average of .226 and an on-base percentage of .302, while the Orioles are hitting .233 with a .298 OBP. Both teams are in the bottom half of MLB in these categories, with the O’s ranking 18th in team batting stats.
Home run production shows a clear advantage for the Giants with 21 homers (tied for 7th in MLB) compared to the Orioles’ 17 (18th place).
Wilmer Flores leads the Giants with 6 dingers and 23 RBIs, while Cedric Mullins tops the Orioles with 4 homers and 17 RBIs. Jung Hoo Lee has been a bright spot for SF with a team-leading .338 average and 23 hits.
The Giants have struggled with plate discipline, as manager Bob Melvin recently highlighted their high strikeout rate of 23.9% (bottom eleven in MLB).
Rookies like Grant McCray (39.5% K-rate) and Tyler Fitzgerald (30%+ K-rate) are still finding their footing.
For the Orioles, Adley Rutschman has seen his plate discipline regress from 2024, with his walk rate dropping from 13.4% to 9.1% and his chase rate worsening by 5.5%.
Both teams need to clean up their approach at the plate, with the Orioles recording 134 strikeouts in 16 games and the Giants tallying 162 Ks in 17 games.
Pitching Analysis of Baltimore Orioles vs San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants starting rotation has been lights out in 2025, with Logan Webb leading the charge with a 1.89 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and an impressive 21 strikeouts in 19 innings.
His teammate Jordan Hicks has been even more dominant with a perfect 0.00 ERA and a team-best 0.88 WHIP through 11.1 innings.
Robbie Ray rounds out their top three with a solid 3.18 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. The Baltimore Orioles rotation features promising youngster Grayson Rodriguez, who has shown explosive stuff with “pinpoint accuracy” that keeps hitters off balance.
In the bullpen battle, the Giants have found their closer in Ryan Walker, who recorded 2 saves already this season after posting a stellar 1.91 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 2024.
Walker was nearly unhittable for two months last season, not allowing a run between July 27 and September 19 (against the Orioles).
The O’s relief corps will get a huge boost from the return of Félix Bautista, who was lights out in 2023 with a 1.48 ERA and a mind-blowing 110 strikeouts in just 61 innings.
Webb’s strikeout-to-walk ratio has been impressive at 7:1 (21 Ks to 3 BBs), while Walker posted an excellent 5.50 SO/W rate in 2024.
The Giants have built a versatile bullpen with Tyler Rogers (2 holds) providing different looks to hitters, making them especially tough against right-handed batters.
Defensive Metrics
The Baltimore Orioles are currently showing mixed defensive stats in the 2025 season, sitting at 6-9 and 5th in the AL East.
Their team fielding percentage is tracked through the ESPN Stats page, which shows detailed metrics for each player across all positions.
The O’s have been working on improving their defensive efficiency, which measures how often they convert batted balls into outs.
Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) is considered the most sophisticated public system available for measuring defense. It includes eight key factors like fielding range, outfield arm strength, and double play efficiency.
The system even tracks specific situations like when outfielders prevent runners from advancing from first to second on fly balls or when infielders keep runners from advancing to third on ground balls.
The Orioles have been focusing on their double play turning, which is measured based on opportunities and the velocity of batted balls.
Their caught stealing percentage is another key metric that factors in both catcher and pitcher performance.
In high-leverage situations, the O’s are tracking error rates and misplays like missing the cutoff man or failing to cover bases.
These situations are part of the 54 different types of defensive mistakes that the DRS system monitors, along with 28 positive play types like HR-saving catches and properly backing up plays.
The team defensive wins above replacement (DWAR) gives fans a complete picture of their glove work this season.
Recent Form Analysis
The San Francisco Giants are red hot right now, winning 7 of their last 10 games and sitting in 2nd place in the NL West with a 12-5 record, just 2 games behind the San Diego Padres.
Their offense has been explosive, scoring 10 or more runs twice in their last 10 games, including a 10-4 blowout against the Phillies on April 14.
The Giants recently enjoyed a six-game win streak that had fans buzzing with excitement.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles are in a massive funk, sitting at 7-10 and 5th in the AL East. They’ve won just 2 of their last 5 games and haven’t won a series yet this season.
Their inconsistency has been a major issue – when they win, they have the third-best team OPS at .974, but when they lose, it drops to .464 (24th in MLB).
Injuries have hammered the Orioles, with ace Zach Eflin (right lat strain) and Grayson Rodriguez both on the injured list.
However, there’s a silver lining as Eflin is expected back in “weeks not months” after playing catch on April 16.
The weather for upcoming games looks perfect with clear skies and temperatures in the 80s. Wind factors are minimal for most games, though some stadiums may see stronger inward winds that could affect home run potential.
Strategic Considerations
The Baltimore Orioles and San Francisco Giants both showcase distinct managerial styles in their head-to-head matchups.
The Giants legacy of bullpen management stems from Bruce Bochy’s approach, where he famously had “no rules” and would “adapt to his team every year.”
Bochy was known for his ability to “read each player’s temperature” and construct a bullpen without set roles, which led to multiple World Series wins.
For the Orioles, their current bullpen strategy is classified as “Mostly Linear” with Félix Bautista serving as the designated closer when healthy, though his velocity has dipped to 97.4 mph in 2025, down over two miles from his 2023 numbers.
The O’s have built a strong setup duo with Seranthony Domínguez and Yennier Cano, who has posted a stellar 2.58 ERA in 142 appearances over two seasons.
In terms of platoon advantages, the Orioles have signed Dylan Carlson to a one-year deal, though he’s expected to be limited to a 4th outfielder role behind Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser, and Tyler O’Neill.
The Giants have shown a knack for lineup construction that maximizes matchups, with Bruce Bochy historically having “a great feel for when to pat a guy on the back or kick them in the butt.”
The Orioles’ base-running strategy includes Harrison Bader, who stole 17 bases in 2024 before signing with the Twins, showing the team’s focus on adding speed to complement their power hitting.
Conclusion
The Baltimore Orioles and San Francisco Giants have built a perfectly balanced rivalry over the years, with an even 12-12 record across 24 games since 2002.
The Giants are currently in a much better position, sitting at 10-3 (2nd in NL West) while the Orioles struggle at 5-8 (5th in AL East).
Looking at key stats, the Giants have the edge in almost every category – scoring more runs (5.1 vs 4.2), hitting more homers (15 vs 12), stealing more bases (14 vs 8), and boasting a much better ERA (2.74 vs 4.54).
Mike Yastrzemski (.343 AVG) and Wilmer Flores (5 HR, 15 RBI) are outperforming the O’s best hitters Tyler O’Neill (.316) and Cedric Mullins (3 HR, 14 RBI).
The upcoming three-game series in August 2025 will likely be influenced by pitching matchups, with Logan Webb (1.89 ERA) giving the Giants a clear advantage over Zach Eflin (3.00 ERA).
The Giants current two-game winning streak and recent 10-0 blowout victory on September 17, 2024, suggest they have momentum.
Long-term, both teams are on different trajectories – the Giants are projected for 83 wins and possible Wild Card contention in 2025, while the Orioles need to address their pitching woes to climb out of the AL East basement.
