Fedde's zeros, Hernandez's late homer lift Nats (updated)
Fedde's zeros, Hernandez's late homer lift Nats (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Davey Martinez had one simple piece of advice this morning for Erick Fedde, who took the mound in Arizona knowing Stephen Strasburg had just made a rehab start for Triple-A Rochester and might be deemed ready to take back his spot in the Nationals rotation. "Make my decision tough," the Nats manager said during his pregame Zoom session with reporters. "That's what I want him to go out there and do." It would be tough for Fedde to have made the decision any tougher on Martinez, general...
Zimmermann big in bulk role and Orioles win 10-6 (updated)
Zimmermann big in bulk role and Orioles win 10-6 (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The sound of the first part of the plan backfiring was almost as loud as the contact made by the Yankees again this afternoon. Adam Plutko lasted one turbulent inning as the opener after the Yankees loaded the bases with no outs for the second time in less than 24 hours. Gary Sánchez and Clint Frazier hit back-to-back home runs. Bruce Zimmermann warmed in the bullpen. Assistant pitching coach Darren Holmes visited the mound. There wouldn't be a clean handoff of the baton. It wouldn't...
Checking in on good signs as O's beat Yankees
Checking in on good signs as O's beat Yankees
Steve Melewski
Orioles
As the Orioles played the Yankees today in the third game of this series while trying to avoid a sweep, there were a few good signs that could prove to be a positive for the club no matter today's result. But the Orioles did get a winning result today. They beat New York 10-6 and improved to 17-23 at the 40-game mark. They snapped a four-game losing streak. For one, the Orioles made an adjustment in their hitting approach, it sure appeared, versus Yankees lefty Jordan Montgomery. This was his...
After 75-pitch rehab start, Nats face decision on Strasburg
After 75-pitch rehab start, Nats face decision on Strasburg
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Stephen Strasburg appears to have done what he needed to do in today's rehab start for Triple-A Rochester. Now, the Nationals have to decide if it's enough to activate the right-hander off the injured list. Strasburg threw 75 pitches over 4 1/3 scoreless innings this afternoon in Trenton, N.J., temporary home of the Buffalo Bisons while their ballpark is being prepped for the Blue Jays. Making his first official minor league rehab start after pitching in two simulated games at Nationals Park...
Game 36 lineups: Nats at D-backs
Game 36 lineups: Nats at D-backs
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals' series finale in Arizona this afternoon is important, because they're trying to win the series and head to Chicago on a positive note. But there's another important event taking place this afternoon, across the country in Trenton, N.J., where Stephen Strasburg is making a rehab start for Triple-A Rochester. It's important, of course, for Strasburg to emerge from his start (planned for five innings and 75-80 innings) healthy, because if that happens, he may be deemed ready to...
O's game blog: Adam Plutko faces Yankees
O's game blog: Adam Plutko faces Yankees
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The Orioles need to beat the New York Yankees at Camden Yards today to avoid a three-game sweep. New York rallied to win 5-4 on Friday and then scored five early runs last night to post an 8-2 win. The Orioles (16-23) will reach the 40-game mark today. They have lost four in a row and seven of eight games. The O's are 3-6 against the Yankees, but have scored just 21 runs in those nine games. The Orioles are starting right-hander Adam Plutko (1-0, 1.27 ERA) in today's series finale. Plutko has...
More on Orioles' pitching plans
More on Orioles' pitching plans
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said today that the composition of the Yankees lineup in the series finale prompted the decision to start right-hander Adam Plutko. Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann was recalled today and could cover innings. "Just because they're so right-handed," Hyde said in his Zoom call. "We're going to try to piece this one together today. Plutko's obviously got a lot of starting experience and the first right guys in their batting order are right-handed. So we'll see how...
Plutko starting and Zimmermann recalled
Plutko starting and Zimmermann recalled
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles are going with a bullpen game this afternoon to close out their series against the Yankees at Camden Yards. Adam Plutko is getting the start after making 15 relief appearances and compiling a 1.27 ERA and 1.031 WHIP in 21 1/3 innings. He's surrendered only one home run. Purchased from the Indians on March 27, Plutko hasn't started since Aug. 21, 2020. His longest outing with the Orioles was three scoreless innings on April 6 versus the Yankees in the Bronx. The 39 pitches also...
Groundball-heavy Soto believes he's close to breaking out
Groundball-heavy Soto believes he's close to breaking out
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Any discussion of Juan Soto being in a slump has to include the qualifier that a Soto slump isn't like any other hitter's slump. Other hitters go 1-for-30 with 17 strikeouts, and that's clearly a slump. Soto goes 6-for-30 with six strikeouts and we start worrying about him. Soto has set the bar for himself extraordinarily high. But having said that, it's not inappropriate to point out he's not hitting like himself right now. And hasn't been for a while. In his first 10 games since coming...
Some big nights on farm, but O's fall big to Yankees
Some big nights on farm, but O's fall big to Yankees
Steve Melewski
Orioles
As it turned out, right-hander Jórge Lopez might have broken through that fifth-inning barrier and had a strong outing in his previous game versus the Boston Red Sox, but he could not build on that last night. López got an early exit, the Orioles fell into an early deficit and they added another loss against the New York Yankees. The Yankees led 5-0 after two innings and beat the Orioles 8-2 at Camden Yards as López had a rough night, one where he gave up six hits and five runs (four...