Finnegan savoring every MLB-leading save for winning team
Mark Zuckerman
Masn
Kyle Finnegan had pitched in 241 big league games before taking the mound Tuesday night at Nationals Park. Appearance No. 242 carried more weight than usual. “This one, for whatever reason, felt a little more meaningful,” the right-hander said afterward. “It’s been a while since we’ve been over .500. We’ve been putting in all the work behind the sc
Mental-skills work is part of the turnaround for lefty Cole Irvin
Steve Melewski
Orioles
On this date last year, O’s lefty Cole Irvin was pitching with Triple-A Norfolk trying to find his way back to the big leagues. A 10.66 ERA his first three starts got the veteran shipped back to the farm to figure it out. He would end the 2023 season with an ERA of 4.42 for Baltimore, not great. But he did pitch to a 3.22 ERA from June 10 on last s
Leftovers for breakfast
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Albert Suárez made a run at a rotation spot in spring training, faltered late and was reassigned to minor league camp. He was an unexpected addition to the roster on April 17 after the Orioles placed Tyler Wells on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. And he keeps finding ways to contribute. Maybe to complicate, too. Two starts pr
Kjerstad said Mayo has been locked in all season (plus O's win in 12)
Steve Melewski
Orioles
After a year where he tore it up at Double-A and Triple-A and finished the 2023 season with 29 homers and 99 RBIs – leading the O’s farm in both – Coby Mayo is raking again. Heston Kjerstad played with him with last year and this season and said Mayo has basically been locked in all spring and all year. “Especially after playing with Coby last year
Similarities between Nats and O's striking after series split
Bobby Blanco
Nationals
It’s easy to draw comparisons between the Nationals and Orioles. The two teams are 35 miles apart, and over the past six years have each undergone their own organizational rebuilds, which are now at different stages. Of course, the Nationals won the World Series in 2019. The Orioles began their rebuild that year after a 47-115 season in 2018, which
More questions confronting Orioles
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The latest off-day for the Orioles is upon them. They’ll take it, of course, but they’d like to trade in a few for later in the summer. Work it into the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. Trade you two Aprils for an August and September. On a more realistic note, a few more big decisions are on the horizon. I feel like I’ve typed these words man
Nats rally twice in dramatic fashion but lose to Orioles in 12 (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Masn
They turned out in large numbers – 34,078 of them, to be precise – to watch the conclusion of this two-game rivalry series, wondering if the Nationals would be able to duplicate their performance from Tuesday night’s opener and emerge with a sweep over the Orioles. They didn't duplicate the performance. But they did put on a show that thrilled ever
Orioles squander two-run leads in ninth and 11th before winning 7-6 in 12th (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
WASHINGTON – Kyle Bradish backed up home plate in the second inning and glanced at his glove, as if checking whether a hole had gone undetected. That isn't where the leak would spring later in the night. Trey Lipscomb’s one-hopper made it past Bradish, who reached across his body and rested the glove on his right shoulder as the ball bounced into c
Nats sticking to plan with Wood's promotion
Bobby Blanco
Nationals
It’s no longer a question of if. It’s a question of when James Wood will get the call to make his major league debut with the Nationals. The way he’s been performing with Triple-A Rochester is starting to force the issue. In 31 games with the Red Wings, the big lefty bat is slashing .339/.444/.529 with a .973 OPS, 11 doubles, 14 RBIs, 23 walks to 3
O's game blog: Trying to keep the sweepless streak alive at Nats Park
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The Orioles, after losing 3-0 at Washington last night, need a win tonight in the second and final game of this series to avoid being swept in a regular season series for the first time since May 2022. The Orioles went sweepless the entire 2023 regular season and through their first 11 series of this season. But their record run of going 102 straig