AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS VS ORIOLES

October 10, 2023

Brandon Hyde

Globe Life Field

Baltimore Orioles

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Brandon, on the lineup sheet they gave us upstairs, Gibson was listed in the bullpen. Is that realistic and would that take him out of the starting Game 4?

BRANDON HYDE: If I pitch him tonight, he's obviously not going to be able to start Game 4. But we've got to try to win tonight. So he's going to be available out of the bullpen for us in certain situations.

Q. What went into the decision to have Gunnar lead off tonight. He's been leading off a lot in this situation but here in Game 3.

BRANDON HYDE: Because he's been leading off against right-handed pitchers the majority of the season, or at least the second half of the season.

Q. Brandon, I guess we'll see how many Oriole fans make it to this ballpark today. Have you noticed over the season the number of Oriole fans who have traveled with this team or shown up in road parks? What, if any, meaning is that to you?

BRANDON HYDE: We've had an amazing -- the year we've had, seems like as the year went along, more and more Orioles fans were on the road with us. It makes our players and coaches, everybody feel so good about how our fans can travel. You see them around town. You see them in the hotel lobby.

The orange that's been in the ball parks on the road, it's been amazing that they're following us the way they are, giving us the energy on the road. We've played really well on the road. It's been fun to play in front of the Orioles fans that have traveled with us so well.

Q. In an elimination game, how do you strike the balance between managing aggressively and not doing anything because it's gotten you this far?

BRANDON HYDE: It's definitely a different type of game in that there's no tomorrow if we lose. So I'm going to do everything I can to win the game, whether that's being more aggressive in certain situations or whatever it may be. I'm hoping that Dean can give us a really good start. Hope we can jump out, score some runs early.

We're facing a tough starter in Eovaldi. It's a good club we're facing. Hopefully, we can get runs early, swing the bats well, Dean will give us a good start. I will manage aggressively because there's no tomorrow.

Q. To go back to Gunnar, from top to bottom, in Game 2 offensively, what did you make of that?

BRANDON HYDE: What's that now?

Q. Just his Game 2 offensively, from that first inning where he's running in to score, kind of providing you guys with some juice and emotion, do you hope that as the leadoff guy, he'll give this team a little bit of energy even from the jump?

BRANDON HYDE: He's been doing that all year. So wherever he hits in the lineup, he brings a ton of energy. When we faced a right-handed starter the last three or four months, he's been hitting top of the order. Him and Rutschman are hitting 1 and 2.

Henderson was hitting leadoff the last month and a half, two months. Done an amazing. He can run, has power. Really good at-bats. Rookie of the year. So he's a really exciting player, 22 years old. Has a huge future ahead of him. He's given a ton of energy at the top of the lineup since he's been there.

Q. Brandon, does the all hands on deck tonight include Kyle Bradish?

BRANDON HYDE: Possibly. We'll see.