As the bottom of the eighth arrived Thursday evening, the Nationals leading the Blue Jays by three runs, Davey Martinez needed to decide which two relievers he would put on the mound to try to close out this victory. Based on both track record and recent usage, the answer appeared to be obvious: Will Harris for the eighth, Sean Doolittle for the ninth. Neither would pitch in the game. Instead, it was Tanner Rainey (pitching for the third straight day and for the fifth time in six days) in the...

Very little about the 2020 baseball season is going to approach normal, let alone fit the description like an oiled glove. Having John Means start for the Orioles tonight came pretty close. At least the moment that the bullpen gate swung open and he walked onto the field. The strict pitch count and expectations that he'd work three or four innings lent an unusual twist to the story, but the staff ace was back on the mound. Order restored to the rotation in the most literal sense. And then the...

The Nationals had to leave a lot of firepower on the bench in Thursday's series afternoon finale. Howie Kendrick is recovering from tightness in his upper back, Eric Thames was not in lineup because the Nats were facing a left-hander and Juan Soto is still awaiting clearance from the D.C. Department of Health to return to the field for workouts. Plus, the Nats were up against left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu, the winning pitcher in Game 3 of the National League Division Series for the Dodgers in...

First baseman Chris Davis remains away from the Orioles as they finish their two-game series against the Yankees at Camden Yards. He also was absent from the ballpark last night. Manager Brandon Hyde isn't allowed to provide specific information on Davis, who's likely under COVID-19 protocol. The Orioles haven't replaced him on the active roster. "C.D. is still unavailable today," Hyde said during his Zoom conference call. "I'm going to leave it at that." Davis worked out with the team...

The Orioles will turn to their 2019 All-Star pitcher, left-hander John Means, as they try to end a long losing streak versus the New York Yankees. The teams play tonight to end a brief two-game series. New York got homers from DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Judge and Aaron Hicks last night in a 9-3 win. The Yankees built an early 5-1 lead after three innings and never trailed in improving to 3-1, while the Orioles fell to 2-2. The Orioles have lost 17 in a row against New York since their last win on March...

He can certainly relate to the COVID-19 situation in Major League Baseball. The Orioles' Anthony Santander contracted the virus and missed a large portion of summer camp. But he returned in time for the season opener and has played in all four games thus far. He is slated to bat fourth tonight in right field against the New York Yankees. But the Miami Marlins saw about half their roster impacted and now the team they last played, the Philadelphia Phillies, will not be playing at least through...

The Orioles reinstated John Means from the 10-day injured list this afternoon and optioned reliever Cody Carroll to the alternate camp. Carroll, who has faced nine batters and retired only one, left the ballpark shortly before 3 p.m. Chris Davis and José Iglesias are out of the lineup. The Orioles aren't explaining Davis' absence. Iglesias, who had an RBI double last night, is dealing with some tightness in his quadriceps muscle. Iglesias is a career .359 (42-for-117) hitter against the...

Stephen Strasburg is no longer feeling the nerve pain in his right hand that prevented him from making his first two scheduled starts of the season, and the Nationals are planning for the veteran right-hander to throw off a mound this weekend and then potentially make his 2020 debut shortly after that. Strasburg, sidelined with what he referred to as a nerve impingement in his right wrist, has thrown off flat ground each of the last two days with no issues, according to manager Davey Martinez....

Smith Jr.'s two-run home run was his first of the new campaign.