Soto headlines Nationals' annual team award winners
Soto headlines Nationals' annual team award winners
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Juan Soto has three more days to make his case to win National League MVP honors. He already locked up a slightly less significant honor today. Soto was named the Nationals' 2021 Player of the Year, the second straight season the young star won the award given out annually in a vote of media members who regularly cover the team. Soto is joined by Kyle Finnegan (Pitcher of the Year) and Josh Bell (Good Guy Award) in receiving this year's honors, which are being presented prior to the start of...
Hyde on Fry, Kremer, Hays and Baby Birds
Hyde on Fry, Kremer, Hays and Baby Birds
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles appear to be done with roster moves for 2021 after recalling reliever Isaac Mattson from Triple-A Norfolk and optioning left-hander Alexander Wells. Mattson, who joined the team in Baltimore and hopped on the charter flight to Toronto, provides an extra arm in a bullpen game. Manager Brandon Hyde doesn't know how much length he'll get from Thomas Eshelman. "To be able to add a pitcher who's available was important," Hyde said. Dean Kremer and Paul Fry weren't added to the...
Orioles and Blue Jays lineups
Orioles and Blue Jays lineups
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Reliever Isaac Mattson has been recalled from Triple-A Norfolk and heads to the Orioles bullpen as they begin their final series of the year tonight in Toronto. Mattson, acquired from the Angels in the Dylan Bundy trade, has made three appearances with the Orioles and allowed three runs and three hits in three innings, with four walks and three strikeouts. Left-hander Alexander Wells, who held the Red Sox to one run in six innings last night, was optioned to Norfolk. He wasn't going to pitch...
O's game blog: Final weekend begins, O's at Toronto
O's game blog: Final weekend begins, O's at Toronto
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The final weekend and series of the 2021 season has arrived. The Orioles play three games starting tonight at Rogers Centre and the offseason and winter will follow Sunday's Game No. 162. The O's take momentum north of the border after winning two of three from the Boston Red Sox, beating Boston 4-2 Tuesday night and 6-2 last night to wrap up their home season. They held the Red Sox to 10 runs in the series. Boston began the series leading the majors in doubles and extra-base hits, second in...
Game 160 lineups: Nats vs. Red Sox
Game 160 lineups: Nats vs. Red Sox
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
We have arrived at last at the final homestand of the season. Three more games to wrap up what undeniably has been a season most everyone around here wants to forget. But first, there are three games to play against a team that very much needs to win as many of these as it can. The Red Sox enter play tied with the red-hot Mariners for the second wild card berth in the American League, two games behind the Yankees, one game ahead of the Blue Jays. There are all kinds of scenarios that could play...
Nationals announce 2021 media awards.
Nationals announce 2021 media awards.
Doug Miller
Nationals
The Washington Nationals announced the winners of the sixth-annual end-of-season awards as voted on by members of the local media. Outfielder Juan Soto was voted 2021 Nationals Player of the Year, while right-handed pitcher Kyle Finnegan was named Pitcher of the Year. First Baseman Josh Bell was given the Good Guy Award, given to a player for his always-professional dealings with members of the media, his work in the community and for representing the Nationals organization with class both on...
What's in store for Zimmerman during final weekend?
What's in store for Zimmerman during final weekend?
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
At some point in each of the next three evenings, Ryan Zimmerman is going to step to the plate at Nationals Park and receive a massive ovation each time. It won't matter what he does, whether he drives a ball off the wall for a double or strikes out on three pitches. The crowd will shower him with adulation whenever his name is mentioned, anytime he does anything of note, really, on the field. And when he steps off the field for the last time during or after Sunday's season finale against the...
Series win over Boston, Grayson Rodriguez's latest honor, Elias' presser
Series win over Boston, Grayson Rodriguez's latest honor, Elias' presser
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Before their win last night, the Orioles had just two American League East series wins this year, and none at home. Then left-hander Alexander Wells held Boston to one run over six innings as the Orioles won 6-2 to take two of three from the Red Sox. The loss left Boston at 89-70 and tied with Seattle for the No. 2 AL wild card. Those two teams are one game ahead of Toronto (88-71), which hosts the Orioles tonight. The O's are on a bit on a pitching roll as this season winds down. They have...
Wells rolls, Mountcastle homers again in O's 6-2 win (updated)
Wells rolls, Mountcastle homers again in O's 6-2 win (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
One pitch tonight from Orioles rookie Alexander Wells, and the last home game of the 2021 season felt like too many others. Wells fed leadoff hitter Kiké Hernández a fastball and it landed in the left field seats. An immediate deficit against a team in the thick of the wild card race. One bad fastball didn't spoil the whole start. Wells worked a career-high six innings, and retired 10 of 11 batters and 16 of 18. Ryan Mountcastle hit his 33rd home run of the season, a three-run shot in...
Noting a few changes on Orioles' minor league side
Noting a few changes on Orioles' minor league side
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles aren't going to make any determinations on their coaching staff until after the last out on Oct. 3. They'll do the usual evaluating and decide whether the unit remains intact under manager Brandon Hyde or requires one or more replacements. Movement already has started on the minor league side. Single-A Aberdeen hitting coach Tom Eller and low Single-A Delmarva hitting coach Patrick Jones won't return in 2022, according to multiple sources. Eller was head baseball coach at Harford...