Looking forward to playoff baseball in Baltimore (plus other O's notes)
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Now we know for certain there will be playoff baseball in Baltimore this year. That Oriole Park at Camden Yards will host at least two home games and hopefully many more. With Friday's 7-2 win over Minnesota, the Orioles wrapped up the No. 4 seed, the top Wild Card seed, and will host a series next week, beginning Tuesday versus either the Tigers o
Is there a place for Williams on 2025 staff after bounceback year?
Mark Zuckerman
Masn
Anyone who paid zero attention to Trevor Williams over the last two seasons would probably have a hard time grasping how he pitched for the Nationals, based solely on his final stat lines. 2023: 6-10, 5.55 ERA, 1.600 WHIP in 30 starts. 2024: 6-1, 2.03 ERA, 1.035 WHIP in 13 starts. What was wrong with the right-hander in his first season in D.C.? An
This, that and the other
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
MINNEAPOLIS – Keegan Akin didn’t make last year’s Division Series roster. He didn’t stand a chance. A lower-back injury ended Akin’s season on June 28. He allowed 10 earned runs and 13 total in four innings over his last four appearances, an ugly stretch by any measurement. The Orioles are meeting to discuss their roster for the upcoming Wild Card
Orioles clinch home Wild Card with 7-2 win over Twins (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
MINNEAPOLIS – Never mind that the Tigers refused to lose again tonight, still behaving like a team determined to run the table. The Orioles used their own tools to nail down the home Wild Card. Ryan O’Hearn hit his first home run since Aug. 27, Cade Povich twirled 5 2/3 scoreless innings and the Orioles pulled away from the Twins for a 7-2 victory
Emotional Garrett returns to majors with authority in Nats' blowout win (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Masn
The ball went soaring off Stone Garrett’s bat and made a beeline for the left field bleachers, one of those no-doubters that leaves the crowd oohing and aahing before anyone officially knows where it’s going to land. Garrett, of course, knew it too. And his reaction – fist pumps, verbal exclamation – revealed everything you needed to know about the
González offers advice and perspective as Orioles go from division champions to Wild Card team
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
MINNEAPOLIS – As injuries and hitting slumps dragged the Orioles out of first place and shifted their priorities to clinching the first Wild Card, bench coach Fredi González could feel manager Brandon Hyde’s pain. González guided the Braves to the playoffs in 2012 and 2013, but after his 2011 club held an 81-55 record on Sept. 1 and lost 15 of its
O's game blog: The first game of the final regular season series
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The Orioles' 2024 regular season will come to an end this weekend before they begin the Wild Card Series on Tuesday, they hope at home. The Orioles (88-71) need one more win or a Tigers loss to clinch the top Wild Card spot as the No. 4 seed in the six-team playoff field in the American League. Kansas City and Detroit (both 85-74) could clinch play
Rizzo on Abrams following demotion: "He's still our guy"
Mark Zuckerman
Masn
The Nationals’ decision to demote CJ Abrams for disciplinary, not performance, reasons last week hasn’t changed the organization’s outlook on their All-Star shortstop for 2025 and beyond, general manager Mike Rizzo insisted today. “No, absolutely not. He’s still our guy,” Rizzo said in an end-of-season session with reporters. “We love him, and he’s
Orioles and Twins lineups for first game of last regular season series
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
MINNEAPOLIS – Here we go again. An Orioles win tonight clinches the home Wild Card, or they’d need the Tigers to lose to the White Sox. Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter with Ryan Mountcastle at first base. Jordan Westburg gets another start at second base, and he’s batting second. Cade Povich is making his first career appearance against the t
Game 160 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies
Mark Zuckerman
Masn
It has not been an encouraging finish to what had been looking like an encouraging season for the Nationals. They’ve lost nine of their last 10 and now would need to sweep the Phillies this weekend just to get to 72 wins and surpass last year’s total. The odds of that happening? Probably not great, especially with Philadelphia still trying to catch