Harvey optioned to Triple-A, Cruz sits again
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Needing fresh arms to get them through today’s first-half finale, the Nationals called up Cory Abbott from Triple-A and optioned Hunter Harvey to Rochester. Abbott, who has been a starter in the minors, is available to pitch multiple innings in relief this afternoon, which is already a bullpen game. Erasmo Ramirez will start, going two or three inn
Game 94 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The first half of the season comes to a close today, and not a moment too soon for a Nationals club that has sunk to new depths previously thought unreachable. They enter today’s game on a nine-game losing streak (their first since 2008), having also lost nine straight to the Braves over the last month, having lost 15 of their last 16 games overall
Orioles and Rays lineups before All-Star break
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – So here we are, the final game before the All-Star break. The Orioles already have 46 wins, the same amount they reached last season in their 140th game on Sept. 10. One fewer than their entire 2018 total. They can do no worse than .500 in the unofficial first half. Adley Rutschman is catching today. His pinch-hit home run ye
It's draft day in MLB and O's pick 1/1 tonight
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Draft day in Major League Baseball has arrived and it’s really the first of three days when teams will draft over 20 rounds. The Orioles have the No. 1 pick in the draft tonight, which will begin sometime not long after 7 p.m. ET. They have 12 picks over the first 10 rounds, and 22 over 20 rounds of selections. Tonight the draft will run through th
Getting caught up in the Orioles' draft as the day arrives
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Orioles are playing their final game of the first half this afternoon, entering the All-Star break two games above or at .500, depending on the result. A chance to win another series. A chance to remind everyone that these aren’t the same Orioles, though that much already should be clear. Players will bolt from the clubho
Nats lose ninth straight after long rain delay (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
If money alone isn’t going to be enough to keep Juan Soto in Washington for the long haul – and today’s revelation that Soto recently turned down a 15-year, $440 million extension suggests it is indeed about more than just money, at least at this juncture of the process – the best thing the Nationals can do to convince their young star to stay is t
Orioles outlast Rays in 11 innings and finally win at Tropicana Field (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Dean Kremer headed to the visiting bullpen at Tropicana Field today, the exact spot where he suffered a strained oblique while warming in the season’s third game. He was supposed to pitch in relief and work in a piggyback role early in the year, but the injury destroyed plans formulated back in camp. “That was a tough day,” s
O's game blog: Looking to bounce back against Tampa Bay
Steve Melewski
Orioles
With a 10-game winning streak now over, the Orioles look to start a new one this afternoon in the second game of their series with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. The Rays scored four runs in the sixth Friday night to take a 5-2 lead. Ramón Urías hit a two-run homer, his second of the game, to bring Baltimore within 5-4 in the eighth, but th
Soto frustrated $440 million offer became public
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Juan Soto expressed frustration today that terms of the Nationals’ latest contract proposal to the star slugger were made public, leading to a new report that the club will “entertain” offers for him leading up to next month’s trade deadline. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Soto recently turned down a 15-year, $440 million offer from the Nat
Notes on streak ending, minor league injuries, Henderson and more
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Orioles clubhouse was livelier this afternoon, the televisions tuned to baseball and golf, and players joking and interacting with each other. Last night’s 5-4 loss, which ended a 10-game winning streak, created silence and left the Orioles visibly frustrated. “We’ve been playing so well,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Just