MIAMI – Ballplayers usually have an opposing ballpark they enjoy playing in outside of their home stadium. Usually, it’s one within the division where you play multiple times a year. The more you play there, the more comfortable you get and the better numbers you post.

For Keibert Ruiz, that ballpark might just be loanDepot park.

The 26-year-old Nationals catcher just enjoyed another successful night at the plate in Miami. He started Tuesday’s 6-2 win over the Marlins 3-for-3 and a triple shy of the cycle. He finished 3-for-4 with a double, a homer, two runs scored and an RBI.

“Don't try to do too much, look for my pitch and just trusting myself,” Ruiz said after his sixth multi-hit game in Miami, 10th overall against the Marlins. “I've been working on some things in the cage, and just gotta have the plan and bring it to the game.”

“He laid off some pitches and got the ball up a little bit and just smoked some balls,” said manager Davey Martinez. “So it was good to see him have a good day today. It really was. He's been working hard.”

MIAMI – The Nationals needed Monday’s off-day in Miami to get past an ugly weekend back at home.

While still a young team – Sunday’s starting lineup averaged 24.4 years old, younger than each of the lineups posted by Triple-A Rochester and Double-A Harrisburg that day – the Nats were uncharacteristically sloppy in the field on Saturday and Sunday. They were outscored 19-4 and charged with five errors over the last two games against the Cubs.

“We could have used the day off, for sure,” manager Davey Martinez said before tonight’s opener of a two-game set against the Marlins. “But when I went back and I looked at the game yesterday, to me, those were just really mental mistakes. Nothing physical about it. Just, it's September.”

It is September and there is less than a month left in the season. But what the Nationals displayed on the field over the weekend is not who they are and not what they want their young team to become.

Well, after yesterday’s off-day, the Nats cleaned up their act and played good baseball en route to a 6-2 win over the Marlins in front of an announced crowd of 6,854 at loanDepot park. Maybe a day off in the South Florida sun is all they needed.

MIAMI – Hopefully, the Nationals used an off-day on Labor Day to reset and forget about this weekend’s series against the Cubs, in which they were swept in three games at home. Maybe spending the rare holiday off-day in the South Florida sunshine is just what they needed.

And what better way to shake off a home sweep than a division rival that you are perfect against this season? That’s right, after struggling against the Marlins over the past couple of years, the Nats enter this quick two-game set 7-0 against the National League East basement-dwellers.

Patrick Corbin will look to extend his streak of back-to-back impressive outings when he takes the ball tonight. Corbin finally earned that elusive 100th career win by holding the Rockies to one run over six innings on Aug. 22. He followed that up with six shutout innings against the Yankees last week. The lefty was roughed up for seven runs (four earned) in four innings when he started here on April 28, but the Nats offense backed him up and stormed back for a 12-9 win.

Max Meyer will make his 11th start of the season for the Fish. The rookie right-hander is 3-4 with a 5.44 ERA and 1.383 WHIP this season. He has yet to face the Nats in his young career and has given up at least four runs in five of his last six starts.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MIAMI MARLINS
Where: loanDepot park
Gametime: 6:40 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, DC 87.7 (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Indoors

Last fall, he was playing in the World Series for the Diamondbacks. It capped a 2023 season that began with him playing for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. It ended chasing a championship.

He went 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs in the World Series versus the Rangers, who won the World Series in five games.

But on Monday, corner infielder Emmanuel Rivera was designated for assignment by the Marlins. The Orioles claimed him two days later and now he is with them waiting for his first chance to play for his new team.

A right-handed hitter, Rivera, 28, played in 96 games with Miami, taking 229 plate appearances and batting .214/.294/.269/.563. He has a career .656 OPS over 313 big league games with Kansas City, Arizona and Miami.

“I think it’s a great opportunity,” he said of his chance with the O’s, with interpreting help from Brandon Quinones. “Thank God, you know, for being able to stay healthy and that I’m now here with this team.

PHILADELPHIA – The Nationals have made progress this year, no doubt.

For the most part, the young pitching staff has made strides. CJ Abrams was an All-Star. Jacob Young is the favorite to win the National League Gold Glove Award in center field. Luis García Jr. and Keibert Ruiz are having strong second halves. And a crop of newly acquired young talent is getting their shot at the major league level.

Plus, the Nats now boast a top-five farm system, per Baseball America, that has depth at the lower levels of the minor leagues and top prospects nearing their big league debuts.

But although they were on pace to eclipse their 71 wins from last year for much of this season, after last night’s brutal 13-3 loss to the Phillies they have the same record after 122 games as they had in 2023: 55-67.

And last night’s loss underscored the next step the Nats need to take to get where they want to be.

The Orioles and Blue Jays play the third game of their four-game series tonight after splitting a doubleheader Monday. The Orioles won the opener 11-5 and lost the nightcap 8-4.

The Orioles (63-44) lead the American League East, but now just by a half-game over the Yankees, who have won their past three games. The Orioles have not been in second place since June 26. They would be tonight with a loss and another Yankees win.

While the Orioles are 3-3 their past six games, in longer stretches they have lost six of their past nine, 12 of 19 and 13 of the last 21 games.

Since June 21 when they began a series where they would be swept in Houston, the Orioles are 14-19 with a -42 run differential. In those 33 games, they have a team ERA of 5.37 allowing a team batting average to opponents of .270 with an .800 OPS in that span. Opponents are scoring 4.5 runs per game with 48 home runs in this stretch.

After the doubleheader, the O’s have now allowed five or more runs in eight straight games, seven times allowing six or more. In the eight games, they have allowed 91 hits with a 5.45 team ERA.

The Orioles found another starting pitcher before this evening’s trade deadline. It cost them a pair of major league-caliber players, including their No. 5 prospect.

Marlins left-hander Trevor Rogers, 26, was acquired from the Marlins for second baseman Connor Norby and outfielder Kyle Stowers, according to multiple sources. Norby will be removed from the major league roster after appearing in five of the last six lineups. He sat for Game 1 of yesterday’s doubleheader and had a double in the nightcap for his first hit at Camden Yards.

Rogers was the 13^th-overall pick in the 2017 draft who’s gone 15-32 with a 4.23 ERA and 1.385 WHIP in 80 starts on some pretty bad teams. He’s posted a 4.53 ERA and 1.528 WHIP this season in 21 games but has a 3.32 ERA in his last eight starts.

Rogers appeared in only four games last season due to biceps, lat and shoulder injuries. He was an All-Star in 2021 and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting with a 2.64 ERA and 1.150 WHIP in 25 outings, striking out 157 batters in 133 innings.

The Orioles can field a rotation with Corbin Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez, Zach Eflin, Dean Kremer and Rogers, however the last two are aligned. They didn’t show a willingness to part with the top prospects in their system despite rumors tying them to Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet and Blake Snell.

MIAMI – In his major league debut tonight, Orioles right-hander Chayce McDermott handled himself well, throwing three scoreless innings and one where he got in trouble. 

But with the Baltimore offense not doing much this series, basically since the fourth inning last night, that poor inning looked like it would be enough to beat him tonight.

However, after going scoreless through five innings tonight and over their previous 11 innings this series, the O’s finally got the big hit they needed in the top of the sixth.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Colton Cowser’s three-run double down the right-field line off reliever Huascar Brazoban tied the game 3-3. Just like that the Orioles had their first extra-base hit this series and three huge runs.

But that tie didn't hold.

MIAMI – After a series-opening 6-3 loss in Miami last night, the Orioles take the field tonight looking to turn around their recent poor play and even this series.

They do it with right-hander Chayce McDermott making his big league debut on the mound. The 2023 Jim Palmer Award winner as the O’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year was 3-5 with a 3.96 ERA at Triple-A Norfolk. Over 91 innings in 20 games, he had a 5.34 walks-per-nine-innings rate and 12.76 strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate.

He leads the International League in strikeouts and is tied for the overall minor league lead.

Ranked as the O’s No. 6 prospect by Baseball America, he is No. 7 via MLBPipeline.com, which provides 60 grades on his fastball and slider and 45 for his control.

In 10 Triple-A games to end the 2023 season, McDermott pitched to an ERA of 2.49 and 1.01 WHIP and felt then he was on the way to making command gains.

MIAMI – As of the time of Brandon Hyde's pregame press update with the media this afternoon, the Orioles still do not know if infielder Jorge Mateo is headed to the injured list.

He collided with shortstop Gunnar Henderson in the third inning last night while going for a grounder up the middle. His left elbow got badly twisted and he left the game. Initial X-rays were negative, but Mateo was headed last night for further testing. He was not in the clubhouse today during the media access time.

“He’s got an MRI this afternoon. We’re awaiting results on that. He was getting tested last night and then today,” said Hyde. “So we’re hoping for the best, but the results haven’t come back yet."

Hyde said Connor Norby was not yet at loadDepot park.

“He is flying in. He’s going to be on taxi (squad) tonight,” said Hyde. “He’s flying in tonight. We’re waiting on Mateo’s results and other stuff, so he’ll be on taxi for tonight’s game.”

MIAMI – The Orioles made a few roster moves to get right-hander Chayce McDermott from the taxi squad to the active roster. He will make his big league debut tonight and get the start on the mound versus the Marlins.

To get McDermott on the active roster, right-hander Bryan Baker was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. To add him to the 40-man roster, right-hander Jonathan Heasley was designated for assignment.

McDermott will wear No. 60.

Over 20 games at Triple-A, he went 3-5 with a 3.96 ERA. In 91 innings, he had a 5.34 walks-per-nine-innings rate and 12.76 strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate.

McDermott leads the International League in strikeouts and is tied for the overall minor league lead.

Let’s begin the day by trying to figure out what the Orioles are doing with their rotation. And why.

Chayce McDermott was on the 24-hour taxi squad yesterday in Miami and the Orioles withheld an announcement on tonight’s starter. Albert Suárez started last night, and he limped off the mound with assistant athletic trainer Patrick Wesley in the third inning after a 102 mph ground ball slammed off his lower right leg. Corbin Burnes is listed for Thursday afternoon and that’s set in stone, but tonight remained TBA prior to first pitch.

Oh, the drama.

(Burnes has gone at least six innings while allowing no more than four earned runs in his last 15 appearances, the longest streak by an Oriole since Dennis Martinez in 1978, per STATS).

The choices seemed to come down to McDermott tonight or maybe Cole Irvin returning to the rotation and McDermott having his contract selected and going into the bullpen. The 40-man roster is full, so space would need to be cleared.

The Orioles are moving Chayce McDermott from the taxi squad to Wednesday night starter in Miami, and they also are summoning infielder Connor Norby as a possible recall from Triple-A Norfolk.

Manager Brandon Hyde told the assembled media that McDermott would make his major league debut Wednesday as the new fifth starter. That seemed to be the plan all along. The spot was listed as TBA and there was no other reason to fly McDermott to South Florida.

What happened to Jorge Mateo was unexpected and led to Norby’s trip to Miami.

According to an industry source, Norby is joining the Orioles in case Mateo goes on the injured list after his collision tonight with shortstop Gunnar Henderson a ground ball up the middle in the third inning.

Mateo’s left arm bend backward at the elbow, a gruesome image captured on MASN. He was in obvious pain as he laid on the ground and eventually came out of a game that the Orioles lost 6-3.

MIAMI – The first game of the Orioles' road series against the Miami Marlins could have started better. A whole lot better. 

As the last of the third inning ended tonight, the Orioles found themselves down three runs and two injured players.

The Marlins, who entered with a National League-worst 35-65 record, scored four runs in the second to lead the Orioles 4-1. After the Birds pulled within 4-3 in their half of the third, Miami scored twice more in the home half to make it 6-3.

In that inning, both second baseman Jorge Mateo and starting pitcher Albert Suárez left with apparent injuries. It was definitely an injury for Mateo, who left with head athletic trainer Brian Ebel and assistant Pat Wesley. Suárez left with Wesley, but he may have been about to be pulled from the game anyway.

After a leadoff single in the home third, Jesús Sánchez, who homered an inning earlier, hit a grounder up the middle. Both shortstop Gunnar Henderson and Mateo at second went for the grounder on the first base side of the bag at second. They came together and hit each other with Mateo left’s arm and elbow becoming badly twisted as he went sprawling into Henderson. He came up holding his left arm, and after Ebel looked it for several minutes, they walked off the field along with Wesley.

MIAMI – After opening their post-All-Star break schedule with a series win in Texas, the Orioles road trip has moved back to the East Coast. They open a three-game series tonight in Miami at loadDepot park. 

The Orioles (60-39) lead the American League East by 1 1/2 games over the Yankees (60-42) while the Red Sox (53-46) are seven games back in third place. 

The Orioles scored 17 runs and hit seven homers in winning the first two games of their series in Texas. On Sunday, their offense was held to five hits and two runs in a 3-2 loss.

In the eighth inning, Anthony Santander hit a first-pitch two-run homer. It was No. 27 for Santander and his fourth in four games.

Santander hit 13 homers and produced a .960 OPS in June. That number is now .976 in July. In 43 games since June 1, he is batting .278/.326/.639/.965 with 18 homers and 37 RBIs. As of Monday night, Santander’s 18 homers led the majors since June 1, with Shohei Ohtani next with 16 and Aaron Judge third hitting 15 homers in that span.

MIAMI – The signs seem to be pointing toward right-hander Chayce McDermott making his major league debut on Wednesday night and getting a start for the Orioles against Miami.

But it’s not official yet.

McDermott was added to the taxi squad today and could be activated to start tomorrow.

“Not yet,” manager Brandon Hyde said pregame when asked about Wednesday’s starter. “Chayce is here and we’ll see how tonight goes and make a determination after tonight’s game.”

Hyde has said that Corbin Burnes will start Thursday and he would be on normal rest tomorrow, but he's going to get the extra day. He's not starting tomorrow and it is too soon to recall Cade Povich. So again, signs point to a rookie debut in that game. 

MIAMI – The Orioles (60-39) play Game No. 100 tonight and begin a three-game series at loanDepot park versus the Marlins (35-65), who have the worst record in the National League.

The O's will face right-hander Kyle Tyler (0-1, 3.38 ERA) with Gunnar Henderson leading off, Ryan O'Hearn batting fourth as the designated hitter and Jorge Mateo hitting ninth at second base.

Albert Suárez (5-3, 2.82 ERA) will be making his 13th start. In the first 12, he is 4-3 with a 3.13 ERA and the Orioles are 7-5 in those games. 

The Birds took two of three at Texas and lead the American League East by 1 1/2 games over the Yankees and seven games over the third-place Red Sox.

Baltimore has won its last four games against Miami going back to late July, scoring at least five runs in each. It is the Orioles’ longest winning streak against the Marlins and the first time they have scored at least five runs in four straight against them.

In this season of progress, the Nationals are beginning to establish which quality opponents they can hang with. They’re also establishing which opponent they can dominate: the Marlins.

There should be no question at this point how these two division rivals stack up in 2024. With a 3-1 Father’s Day victory on South Capitol Street, the Nats improved to 7-0 against Miami. They’ve already clinched the season series, with six games still to play in September.

The Nationals have outscored the Marlins 48-18 for the season. They outscored them 15-2 this weekend, and the only two runs they surrendered came on infield singles.

"You've got to beat teams in your division in order to know where you're at," said manager Davey Martinez, whose team was a miserable 6-26 vs. Miami the last two seasons. "We've done that with them. ... It's the only way you're going to win your division, right? You've got to beat the teams in your division."

Suffice it to say, the pitching was exquisite, and today was no exception, with Mitchell Parker once again delivering a winning performance before the bullpen took over late.

The MRI on Jesse Winker’s right knee showed no structural damage, and the Nationals left fielder believes he can rejoin the lineup within a few days.

“It’s definitely nothing major, nothing that’s going to prevent me from playing,” he said. “I think I just need a couple days of rest.”

Winker hurt himself in the bottom of the first Saturday afternoon when he took a big turn around second base on Ildemaro Vargas’ single to left-center, then had to slam on the brakes and dive back into the bag, getting tagged out in the process. He remained in the game for two more innings but felt knee pain while in the field in the top of the third and decided to depart at the end of the inning.

“I slammed on the brakes and dove back, and I kind of lost my footing,” he said. “So it happened somewhere in there. But there was no pop, or anything I could point to. I just had some pain walking out to the outfield, but then I really felt it the first fly ball.”

The Nationals had Winker get an MRI on Saturday, so they’d have results in time to know if they needed to make a roster move in time for Sunday’s game. When that test came back clean, they felt comfortable proceeding with Winker remaining on the active roster, even if he can’t play for another few days. (The team has Monday off, then returns Tuesday to open a three-game series against the Diamondbacks.)

The Nationals, in case you haven’t been paying attention, have dominated the Marlins this season. Like, completely dominated them. They’re 6-0 heading into today’s series finale on South Capitol Street, and the combined score of those six games is 45-17. It’s been even more pronounced this weekend, with a combined score of 12-1 thanks to brilliant pitching by MacKenzie Gore and DJ Herz and plenty of offense to boot.

So it’s Mitchell Parker’s turn today to try to keep things rolling and move his team to within one game of the .500 mark. Parker held Miami to one run on April 27, but he did put eight runners on base in that one and was pulled after throwing 82 pitches in only four innings. He’s coming off a shaky outing in Detroit as well, so this would be a good time for the rookie to get back on track.

The Nationals have seen plenty of Jesus Luzardo, their former prospect, though it’s actually been a full year since they’ve seen the lefty: June 18, 2023. We’re still waiting word on Jesse Winker’s MRI to find out how his right knee is. His status could have some real ramifications in the short and long term.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs MIAMI MARLINS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 88.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 85 degrees, wind 7 mph out to left field

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
RF Lane Thomas
1B Joey Meneses
DH Nick Senzel
LF Ildemaro Vargas
C Keibert Ruiz
2B Luis García Jr.
CF Jacob Young
3B Trey Lipscomb