Albernaz puts Henderson in leadoff spot, Alonso cleanup hitter; Orioles-White Sox starting lineups

CHICAGO—Manager Craig Albernaz has shuffled his first four batters for Wednesday’s game with the White Sox. For the first time this season, Taylor Ward isn’t the leadoff batter. Ward’s batting second while Gunnar Henderson is leading off. Pete Alonso, who’s 1-for-23, is batting fourth for the first time as an Oriole. Adley Rutschman is in his place, batting third.

“The same four hitters are hitting at the top,” Albernaz said. “It’s something we’ve been talking about internally what that would look like. We’ve also been seeing how teams have been deploying their bullpen against us, and also the emergence of the bottom of our order.”

The Orioles are 3-0 with Coby Mayo batting eighth, and Blaze Alexander has hit ninth in the seven games he’s started.

“I talked to all four of [the first four hitters] yesterday. All four of them said the same thing. They don’t care where they hit just as long as they’re in the lineup,” Albernaz said.

Henderson is hitting 3-for-7 with two home runs against left-handed relievers. The Orioles have yet to face a left-handed starter.

“What the teams are showing is that they’re earmarking Gunnar as that guy at the top of the order,” Albernaz said. “They have to pick someone at the top of the order to gameplan for and use that lefty or their stopper for Gunnar. That’s what we’ve been seeing.

“Now it’s kind of, ‘All right, let’s see Gunnar at the top,’ and see what it looks like. You have Ward and Adley behind him, especially the way Adley’s been swinging the bat.”

Albernaz thinks Alonso has been unlucky.

“The other team has positioning numbers, too,” Albernaz said. “They put them in the right spot. As a hitter, there’s a few things you can control: If you’re on time. Did you get a good pitch to hit? Did you get your swing off?

“For Pete, he’s checking all those boxes. He’s hitting them at people, but that’s something that’s encouraging to me. Once the ball connects with the barrel, it’s up in the air, and you have no control over it. With Pete, we just want him to keep on doing what he’s doing, and is he unlucky? Yeah, sure.

“The competitor that Pete is, there’s always something to fine-tune and correct. That’s how you continue to get better and make those adjustments.”

Starting lineups

Orioles

Gunnar Henderson-SS

Taylor Ward-LF

Adley Rutschman-C

Pete Alonso-DH

Tyler O’Neill-RF

Ryan Mountcastle-1B

Dylan Beavers-CF

Coby Mayo-3B

Blaze Alexander-2B

Kyle Bradish-RHP

White Sox

Chase Meidroth-2B

Munetaka Murakami-1B

Miguel Vargas-DH

Colson Montgomery-3B

Andrew Benintendi-LF

Dustin Harris-RF

Luisangel Acuña-SS

Reese McGuire-C

Tristan Peters-CF

Sean Burke-RHP

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