Orioles and Rangers lineups (plus notes)
Orioles and Rangers lineups (plus notes)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Cedric Mullins is out of the Orioles lineup again this afternoon, though available to pinch-hit, due to a sore hamstring. Mullins should be able to return Tuesday night after Monday's off-day. Ryan McKenna is leading off and playing center field. Austin Hays, with an 11-game hitting streak, is in left field and batting third. Kelvin Gutiérrez, who homered last night, has a hit in eight of his last nine games since Sept. 17. He's 10-for-30 during that span and starting at third base again...
O's game blog: Looking for a series win against Texas
O's game blog: Looking for a series win against Texas
Steve Melewski
Orioles
During a year when the Orioles have just 11 series wins, they have only four at home. With a win today, they would take three of four in this series against Texas, producing their fifth home series victory. They are 4-15-5 in home series this year. They won at home two of three May 31-June 2 versus Minnesota and two of three June 4-6 against Cleveland. They swept three from Washington at Camden Yards July 23-25 and took two of three from the Los Angeles Angels from Aug. 24-26. Since that series...
Game 156 lineups: Nats at Reds
Game 156 lineups: Nats at Reds
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals won't be winning back-to-back series. That possibility flew out the window with back-to-back, walk-off losses in Cincinnati the last two nights. But they do have a chance to salvage a four-game split if they can win today's series finale over the Reds. They would certainly love to get another quality start out of Josh Rogers, who has been an absolute revelation since his arrival earlier this month. The left-hander has made four starts so far and has gone 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA....
Chris Ellis on arm issues and great chance with O's, plus other notes
Chris Ellis on arm issues and great chance with O's, plus other notes
Steve Melewski
Orioles
It is a stretch that includes a one-inning outing from an opener and three-inning outing last night. But Orioles starting pitchers have thrown to a 1.38 ERA over their last six games. And that has allowed the team to go 3-3 in those games, even though they scored just 18 runs in this span. Suddenly, the Orioles are playing some low-scoring, close games. They won one 3-2 last night, holding off the Texas Rangers, who scored one run in the ninth and not five this time. It made a difference. In...
Ruiz's tools on display in 7-6 loss to Reds (updated)
Ruiz's tools on display in 7-6 loss to Reds (updated)
Pete Kerzel
Nationals
Keibert Ruiz joined the Nationals at the trade deadline as a prospect with a reputation for being undeniably toolsy. His offense took a while to get going, but both his bat and his defense were on full display Saturday night in a 7-6 loss to the Reds. Ruiz threw out two runners on the bases, one of which took the Reds out of a bigger inning, and his one-out solo homer in the seventh snapped a 5-all standoff. It was the second night in a row that Ruiz went deep, and the rookie backstop is now...
Offense showed up, Gutiérrez with big homer in win (updated)
Offense showed up, Gutiérrez with big homer in win (updated)
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The zeros on the night finally ended in the Baltimore seventh. But up until then, Texas right-hander Jordan Lyles was keeping the Orioles off the board. And to that point, four O's pitchers were doing the same. Then the O's struck with the bottom of their order doing the damage as they beat Texas 3-2, and they've taken two of the first three in this four-game series. The Orioles improved to 4-2 versus Texas, 9-15 in September and 50-105 on the year. Lyles, who entered at 9-12 with a 5.36...
Top half of Orioles lineup looks set
Top half of Orioles lineup looks set
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The final season countdown for the Orioles has brought them down to seven games before they tackle the various items on their winter and spring agenda. The arbitration and non-tender decisions, the trade talks at the annual meetings, the latest dive into free agency - and the risks that come from doing it in the shallow end. In this instance, there are no signs posted that forbid it. The construction of the 2022 team is only partially done. Like the frame of a house. The upper level is the...
Martinez undecided on effect of smaller September rosters
Martinez undecided on effect of smaller September rosters
Pete Kerzel
Nationals
More than three weeks after 26-man rosters were expanded by just two players per an agreement between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association, Nationals manager Davey Martinez still isn't sure what to make of the new rules and the tighter stretch-run rosters. "I haven't decided yet, honestly," Martinez said via Zoom before Saturday's game against the Reds in Cincinnati. "Because in situations where you're fighting for a playoff spot, and all of a sudden you can expand your...
O's game blog: Chris Ellis faces Texas at Camden Yards
O's game blog: Chris Ellis faces Texas at Camden Yards
Steve Melewski
Orioles
After splitting the first two games in this series, the Orioles host the Texas Rangers tonight looking to erase the memory of last night's blown lead and 8-5 loss. The Orioles went to the ninth leading Texas 5-3 but allowed five runs as the Rangers evened the four-game series at a win each. O's pitching had allowed just seven runs in the previous four games and then gave up eight in losing Friday night. They had beaten the Rangers 3-0 on Thursday night as Zac Lowther and three relievers...
Kieboom cleared to play after MRI
Kieboom cleared to play after MRI
Pete Kerzel
Nationals
Third baseman Carter Kieboom, who was scratched from last night's starting lineup when left forearm soreness cropped up, has been cleared to play after a precautionary MRI earlier today showed no lingering issues. "Everything came back negative," Nationals manager Davey Martinez said in his pregame Zoom session with reporters. "He's going to go work out today (and) we'll see how he feels. But he's available to come off the bench today." Kieboom was hit on the left forearm by a pitch...