Still way too soon to know what kind of pitcher Gray will be
Still way too soon to know what kind of pitcher Gray will be
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
As you watched Josiah Gray alternate between misfiring pitches well outside of the strike zone to his arm side and leaving them right over the heart of the plate to be hammered by Mets hitters Sunday afternoon, you couldn't help but be alarmed. This was a bad start, and there was no way to try to frame it as anything other than that. It included six runs and seven hits allowed in three innings, two more homers surrendered and 82 pitches thrown. There was nothing for Gray to hang his hat on at...
More thoughts on yesterday's comeback win in the Bronx
More thoughts on yesterday's comeback win in the Bronx
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Say what you will about the 2021 Orioles, and the dialogue fills a lot of pages, but there's no denying that they're playing hard with the season down to its final month and hopes of staying competitive buried a long time ago. You don't overcome a trio of three-run deficits yesterday at Yankee Stadium if you're already booking offseason vacations. You don't win two one-run games in the series. You don't keep grinding. There are obvious signs and more subtle ones, the latter including how...
The benefit of playing and winning the close ones
The benefit of playing and winning the close ones
Steve Melewski
Orioles
When a team has the record the Orioles team has, it's kind of hard to take a small sample of five games and put a lot of importance on it. But, at the same time, the last five games did produce three wins in close games at both Toronto and New York. So the Orioles have played five in a row, all on the road in the division, and all decided by two runs or by one, and they went 3-2. Small steps, and maybe some small progress was made as some players had to make clutch plays against two clubs...
Mullins joins 25/25 club and O's rally for 8-7 win (updated)
Mullins joins 25/25 club and O's rally for 8-7 win (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Nine consecutive four-seam fastballs to Gary Sánchez in the second inning today showed tremendous confidence in the pitch. But also with the obvious risks and other potential repercussions. Sánchez got the barrel on the ninth, with the bases loaded and the Orioles ahead by a run, and launched it into the second deck for a grand slam. The chance at a rare series win on the road seemed to disappear with the ball, but the Orioles kept clawing, kept putting runners on base and finally found...
A few thoughts and notes on a series win in the Bronx
A few thoughts and notes on a series win in the Bronx
Steve Melewski
Orioles
A few thoughts, notes and impressions on today's game and this weekend as the Orioles ended a six-game road trip to Toronto and New York going a respectable 3-3. They take two of three at New York, winning a series in the Bronx for the first time since March 28-31, 2019. * The last five games of this trip were each decided by two runs or less, with the Orioles going 3-2. That is certainly a sign of progress, but in a very small sample size. But you take that in the American League East on the...
Gray battered early, bullpen blasted late in 13-6 loss (updated)
Gray battered early, bullpen blasted late in 13-6 loss (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
On a day in which they watched their brightest young starting pitcher get beat around for the second time in a week, the Nationals yet again found a way to overcome an early deficit and make the Mets sweat. And they yet again found a way to turn a potentially inspiring comeback into a calamitous, late-inning meltdown that made it all moot. At some point, this young team needs to show it has the ability to finish what it starts. Comebacks are nice, but curly W's are better. So it was that in...
Rogers stays on roster, Parra placed on IL
Rogers stays on roster, Parra placed on IL
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Josh Rogers is going to get another chance to pitch for the Nationals. Gerardo Parra may not get another chance to play for them. The club decided to keep Rogers on the active roster following his impressive debut Saturday night as a fill-in starter for a doubleheader split with the Mets, and manager Davey Martinez said the left-hander is likely to going to make at least one more start. In order to keep Rogers on the roster, though, the Nationals placed Parra on the 10-day injured list with...
More on Orioles rotation heading into Royals series
More on Orioles rotation heading into Royals series
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Orioles manager Hyde is holding off until after today's game to reveal Monday's starter, saying it's going to require a corresponding move because the pitcher is being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. This eliminates left-hander Alexander Wells, who's already with the team. "I'm just going to wait on it," he said. Mike Baumann started Tuesday for the Tides and would be working on extra rest. Zac Lowther would be on normal rest. Dean Kremer isn't available because the Orioles won't use...
O's game blog: Looking for a series win over Yankees
O's game blog: Looking for a series win over Yankees
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The Orioles (42-92), after Saturday's 4-3 win at Yankee Stadium, can end this two-city road trip with a series win in the Bronx if they win this afternoon versus the Yankees. The O's lost 4-3 in 11 innings Friday night and won by the same score yesterday when they broke a 3-3 tie in the ninth against lefty closer Aroldis Chapman. Ryan Mountcastle led off the ninth and reached on a strikeout and wild pitch. Austin Hays singled and Trey Mancini walked to load the bases. Mancini went 3-for-3...
Game 136 lineups: Nats vs. Mets
Game 136 lineups: Nats vs. Mets
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals and Mets have already played three games in this holiday weekend series, and they're not even close to wrapping it up just yet. They face off this afternoon, then will return Monday afternoon for the Labor Day finale of a rare, five-game set. After the craziness of Saturday's doubleheader, everyone would appreciate a simpler affair today. And the Nats would love to get another quality start from Josiah Gray, who failed to turn in a quality performance last time out for the first...