O's cast in spoiler role for regular season's final week
O's cast in spoiler role for regular season's final week
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The American League wild card race is coming down to this last week and the final days. Three AL East teams hold the top three spots currently, and two teams will make it and play in the wild card game next Tuesday at the home of the higher seed. The Orioles will have a say in this race, playing their final two series at home versus Boston starting tonight and at Toronto starting Friday night. After sweeping the Red Sox on the road, the New York Yankees (89-67) begin play tonight holding the...
Gray, Corbin could each get one more start this weekend
Gray, Corbin could each get one more start this weekend
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals are still mapping out pitching plans for the season's final week, but it's possible both Josiah Gray and Patrick Corbin could get another start this weekend against the Red Sox. Gray and Corbin are starting the first two games of the team's penultimate series against the Rockies, with Gray on the mound at Coors Field tonight and Corbin to follow Tuesday. If the Nats stick with a five-man rotation, Gray would then be in line to pitch Sunday's season finale in D.C. But manager...
Game 157 lineups: Nats at Rockies
Game 157 lineups: Nats at Rockies
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
We have reached the final week of the season, which makes this the final road series of the season. The Nationals are at Coors Field for the first time since April 24, 2019. Things have changed just a bit since then. That day, Aníbal Sánchez took the loss and fell to 0-3 with a 6.00 ERA. Matt Adams was the cleanup hitter. Jake Noll batted seventh. Wilmer Difo batted ninth. Trevor Rosenthal gave up three runs on two hits, a walk, a hit batter and three wild pitches. Now, a completely new...
Why the Nats could really use a multi-inning reliever or two
Why the Nats could really use a multi-inning reliever or two
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Nationals relievers have thrown a total of 545 1/3 innings this season, which works out to roughly 3 1/2 innings per game. It's actually the fifth-lowest total in the majors, which may come as something of a surprise given how much it feels like their starters have struggled to pitch deep into games. Here's a bigger problem, though: The Nationals have totaled 540 relief appearances this year, 12th-most in the majors. And that also works out to nearly 3 1/2 appearances per game. It doesn't...
González on orchestrating Mullins' solo trip to center field
González on orchestrating Mullins' solo trip to center field
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The idea came to Fredi González as Cedric Mullins rounded the bases and returned to the dugout. He just needed to execute it. González wanted the Orioles to stay in the dugout Friday night and allow Mullins to run onto the field alone for the top of the third inning. To let the crowd cheer him again for becoming the first player in club history with 30 home runs and 30 steals in the same season. He saw it done before in Atlanta with one of the franchise's legendary players. Mullins...
What is Baltimore ETA for minor league award winners?
What is Baltimore ETA for minor league award winners?
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The trio got the biggest honors on the Orioles farm when the awards were announced by the club Sunday afternoon. Catcher Adley Rutschman and outfielder Kyle Stowers were co-winners of the Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year Award. Pitcher Grayson Rodriguez was a clear choice to take the Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award. Honors well deserved after each has had a great season. Rutschman has played 118 games between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk, batting...
Another short start, another grand slam in Nats loss (updated)
Another short start, another grand slam in Nats loss (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Condense this lost season for the Nationals down to one issue, one reason above all else to explain why this organization is where it finds itself today with one week to go until a long winter, and the answer is obvious: Pitching. It's all about the pitching. It's always been about the pitching. And until something is done about the pitching, it's hard to envision the franchise's rebuilding efforts taking a significant step forward. Today's 9-2 loss to the Reds was merely the latest...
Orioles' late rally can't prevent 7-4 loss (updated)
Orioles' late rally can't prevent 7-4 loss (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Anthony Santander provided the first hit for the Orioles today with a game-tying, two-run homer in the fourth inning. It wasn't supposed to take that long or stand alone until the seventh. John Means was extended to 108 pitches. They weren't supposed to be crammed into five innings. An offense that scored three runs or fewer in five of the last six games remained sluggish most of the day and the Orioles settled for a split of the series after a 7-4 loss to the Rangers before 13,495 at Camden...
Orioles announce minor league award winners
Orioles announce minor league award winners
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles have chosen catcher Adley Rutschman and outfielder Kyle Stowers as their Brooks Robinson Minor League Co-Players of the Year and Grayson Rodriguez as recipient of the Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award. The trio will be honored in a pregame ceremony before Tuesday night's game against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. Rutschman, the first-overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Oregon State University and the No. 1 prospect in baseball, earned a promotion to Triple-A...
Adams making most of limited starts behind plate
Adams making most of limited starts behind plate
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Riley Adams has done just about everything the Nationals could've asked of him since joining the club following his acquisition from the Blue Jays. The 25-year-old catcher enters today's series finale in Cincinnati batting .288 with a .420 on-base percentage and .920 OPS in 81 plate appearances, with nine extra-base hits to his name. So how is it that he's in the lineup today for the first time in 11 days? That's where it gets a bit complicated. Adams, for all he's shown to date, is not...