MedStar Health renewed as the official medical team of Orioles
MedStar Health renewed as the official medical team of Orioles
Pete Kerzel
Orioles
The Orioles today announced that the club has entered into a multi-year agreement with MedStar Health as the Official Medical Team of the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles have chosen to continue their medical partnership with MedStar Health because of the expertise and specialization provided by one of the premier sports medicine programs in the country. The multi-year partnership will ensure that Orioles players continue to receive the highly specialized care of the MedStar Health team while the...
What we made too big a deal about and what we glossed over
What we made too big a deal about and what we glossed over
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals woke up this morning in Washington. Spring training is officially over, and the final countdown to opening night is on. This was a spring unlike any previous one, with protocols, reduced fan capacities and reduced travel across Florida. But it still was, first and foremost, about baseball. The Nats avoided any real COVID-19 issues and were able to keep their focus on the field, which is exactly how every team should want it to be. To that end, we spent a lot of time talking about...
What's left to decide on Orioles' opening day roster?
What's left to decide on Orioles' opening day roster?
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The minor soreness in Anthony Santander's side is beginning to feel like the slight tweak of DJ Stewart's hamstring. As the late Joe Strauss used to tell me after we joined The Baltimore Sun baseball beat in 1997, never underwrite or downplay an injury. Of course, that also leads to overwriting an actual day-to-day situation, but it's the risk you take. Stewart won't be ready for opening day because he hasn't played since March 5 and accumulated only eight at-bats. We're just waiting for...
Callis compares Wieters with Rutschman and more
Callis compares Wieters with Rutschman and more
Steve Melewski
Orioles
He is a bit of a marked man as the No. 2 ranked prospect in baseball by MLBPipeline.com, by Baseball America and by ESPN. And at No. 2, catcher Adley Rutschman joins just three other Orioles that have ever been as highly rated by the major prospect analysts. No one has been at the top 100 rankings business as long as Baseball America. The first Baseball America list had O's right-hander Ben McDonald ranked second in 1990 behind Atlanta's Steve Avery. In 2009, Matt Wieters became the one and...
Strasburg, relievers finish strong as spring season ends
Strasburg, relievers finish strong as spring season ends
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The final day of spring training is about a starter building up his pitch count, a few relievers getting some last-minute work in and everybody else just avoiding injury. The Nationals, it would appear, survived today's Grapefruit League finale, a 2-2 tie with the Astros at their shared complex in West Palm Beach, Fla. Next up: a charter flight to Washington, a day off so everyone can get settled in, a workout and simulated game at Nationals Park on Wednesday evening, and then it's go...
Bruce Zimmermann on outing against Rays (O's lose finale)
Bruce Zimmermann on outing against Rays (O's lose finale)
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Today's spring training finale began on a down note for the Orioles. Lefty Bruce Zimmermann's run of nine spring scoreless innings ended when he allowed a leadoff homer. The rough start for O's pitching didn't end there, as Zimmermann was charged with seven runs today against the Tampa Bay Rays. This was the final spring outing for Zimmermann, the Baltimorean who will make his third big league appearance when he starts the season's third game, on Sunday in Boston. Zimmermann and Rich Hill,...
More known about Orioles pitching as camp closes with 8-3 loss
More known about Orioles pitching as camp closes with 8-3 loss
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The rotation names and order are done. Now, we find out how the Orioles plan on monitoring their pitchers' innings with the season stretching back to 162 games. Dean Kremer goes to the end of the line as the youngest member at 25, providing a peek into the club's strategy. Bruce Zimmermann is a year older and tabbed as the No. 3 starter. He took the mound first for today's exhibition finale against the Rays and surrendered three home runs over 4 1/3 innings in an 8-3 loss to the Rays at Ed...
López, Kremer round out Orioles rotation (and other notes)
López, Kremer round out Orioles rotation (and other notes)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles' five-man rotation is set and announced. Manager Brandon Hyde said today that Jorge López will start the fourth game of the season on April 5 against the Yankees in the Bronx, with Dean Kremer following him on April 6. The group turns over with opening day starter John Means closing out the series and Matt Harvey starting the home opener on April 8 against the Red Sox. López came into camp out of minor league options and perhaps viewed as more likely to work in long relief,...
Soto, Castro playing in simulated games before opener
Soto, Castro playing in simulated games before opener
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Though the Nationals don't doubt Juan Soto and Starlin Castro will be ready to play in Thursday night's season opener in Washington, both players will have to do so without having appeared in the final three games of the exhibition season in Florida. Neither Soto nor Castro is in the lineup for today's Grapefruit League finale against the Astros, but each took five at-bats during a simulated game outside The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches this morning and experienced no issues with the minor...
Lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach on MASN
Lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach on MASN
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
And so we have arrived at the final day of spring training. Six weeks just flew by, right? The Nationals have one last exhibition to play today against the Astros, one final battle for Palm Beach, if you will. At this stage of the process, it's a whole lot of regulars playing, and both teams have prominent starters on the mound: Stephen Strasburg and Jake Odorizzi. Strasburg has looked perfectly fine all spring, showing no ill effects of his carpal tunnel syndrome nor the ruptured calf tendon...