Nats cap eventful night with tight win at Wrigley (updated)
Nats cap eventful night with tight win at Wrigley (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Maybe it's Wrigley Field. The Friendly Confines just seem to bring out the highest of drama when the Nationals are in town, and have so for many years now. From epic playoff games to devastating walk-off grand slams to intentional walk records to wild back-and-forth contests, the Nationals and Cubs have experienced it all at the corner of Clark and Addison streets on Chicago's North Side. Add tonight's 4-3 victory to the list. Maybe the stakes weren't as high as some of the previous...
O's can't hold five-run lead with ace dealing, lose 9-7 (updated)
O's can't hold five-run lead with ace dealing, lose 9-7 (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The questions keep following John Means. They just change in nature. In Seattle, it was whether he would actually complete a no-hitter. In Queens, N.Y., it was how he'd respond after throwing 113 pitches and making history. Tonight's unknown was born from the seven days between starts. Would he be too fresh? His first pitch hitting the backstop on the fly, his command flickering like a bad bulb. Means' fastball was 93-95 mph in an eight-pitch first inning, all of them strikes. He retired the...
One that got away: O's lose five-run lead and game to Rays
One that got away: O's lose five-run lead and game to Rays
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Trey Mancini was driving in runs and John Means needed just 13 pitches to get the first six outs tonight. The Orioles led Tampa Bay 5-0 after two innings and had their ace on the mound. What could go wrong? The Rays could outscore the Orioles 9-2 from the fifth inning on to come from five runs down and beat the Orioles. And that happened tonight at Camden Yards. Tampa Bay beat the Orioles 9-7 to run their win streak to six games. O's fans had been waiting for their offense to get it going....
Fedde, Rainey placed on COVID-19 IL after positive test (updated)
Fedde, Rainey placed on COVID-19 IL after positive test (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals had to place pitchers Erick Fedde and Tanner Rainey on the COVID-19 injured list before tonight's game in Chicago after one tested positive for the coronavirus and the other was deemed a close contact to that player. The club didn't specify which of the two tested positive, but manager Davey Martinez said that player was vaccinated, is asymptomatic and is feeling fine. The player deemed a close contact, however, is unvaccinated and now is subject to quarantine up to 10...
Orioles injuries mounting on 40-man roster
Orioles injuries mounting on 40-man roster
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles are carrying a full 40-man roster and counting the number of injured players. Increases that are painful on a number of fronts. Relievers Hunter Harvey, Dillon Tate and Rule 5 pick Mac Sceroler are in various stages of recovery from oblique, hamstring and shoulder ailments, respectively. Harvey is on the 60-day injured list and doesn't count against the 40-man, but he also hasn't been an option for a team that's working up a sweat trying to keep its bullpen fresh. First baseman...
Game 39 lineups: Nats at Cubs
Game 39 lineups: Nats at Cubs
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Remember how we all wondered if Max Scherzer would ever be able to pitch at a Cy Young Award-caliber level again? Well, guess what? He's doing it right now. The Nationals ace has been nothing short of magnificent so far season, entering tonight's game against the Cubs seventh in the National League in ERA (2.10), third in WHIP (0.760), fourth in walk rate (1.4 per nine innings) and fourth in strikeouts (68). And when he's been good, he's been really, really good: In six of his eight starts,...
O's game blog: John Means tries to pitch O's over Rays
O's game blog: John Means tries to pitch O's over Rays
Steve Melewski
Orioles
He has been one of the best pitchers in the majors this year and tonight the Orioles ask left-hander John Means (4-0, 1.21 ERA) to pitch them to a win to end a losing stretch. Not a losing streak so much, but a run where they have lost five and six and eight of their last 10 games. Means is pitching on seven days' rest since his last outing on Tuesday May 11 at the New York Mets. That day, he pitched six scoreless innings on six hits in the follow-up act to his no-hitter. Four times this year,...
Elias updates Davis, Martin, Harvey and Kjerstad
Elias updates Davis, Martin, Harvey and Kjerstad
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
A knee injury limited Chris Davis to 16 games last summer. Today's hip surgery prevents him from joining the active roster and playing in 2021. The countdown to the end of Davis' franchise-record $161 million contract is accelerating, though the deal includes deferred payments through 2037. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias provided the update this afternoon in a Zoom call, the first of any substance since Davis was shut down following the exhibition opener. Two at-bats and...
Chris Davis undergoes hip surgery (plus Orioles and Rays lineups)
Chris Davis undergoes hip surgery (plus Orioles and Rays lineups)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Orioles first baseman Chris Davis won't play in 2021 after undergoing arthroscopic surgery today in Dallas to repair the labrum in his left hip. Davis received two at-bats in the first exhibition game and didn't play again. The Orioles anticipate that he's going to be full-go for 2022 spring training, the final year of his franchise-record seven-year, $161 million contract. Davis tried to rehab the injury back home and finally decided on the surgery, according to Orioles executive vice...
O's notes on Harvey's struggles, one-run games and more
O's notes on Harvey's struggles, one-run games and more
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Before he made a start last week at Citi Field against the New York Mets, Orioles right-hander Matt Harvey was solid during his most recent three-start stretch. In those games - against the Yankees, Athletics and Red Sox - he went 2-1 with a 1.72 ERA, .193 batting average against and .608 opponent OPS. I think Birdland would happily take that and run with it. But Harvey had another early exit last night when he allowed a pair of three-run homers in the second inning in a 13-6 loss against Tampa...