McGowin nearing rehab assignment, coaches to be cleared Sunday
McGowin nearing rehab assignment, coaches to be cleared Sunday
Bobby Blanco
Nationals
With the additions of new names and faces over the past week, the Nationals are still waiting for the returns of some familiar folks, hopefully sooner rather than later. On the field, the Nats are still without Kyle McGowin, who has been on the 10-day injured list since July 11 with right biceps fatigue. The right-handed reliever took a big step in his return this afternoon by throwing off the mound in the bullpen and then to live hitters on the field at Nationals Park. "He threw 24 pitches....
Game 109 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies
Game 109 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies
Bobby Blanco
Nationals
This afternoon's series finale against the Phillies represents another opportunity for a young Nationals pitcher to go out and show what he can provide the team down the line, while also trying to avoid a four-game sweep at home. Joe Ross makes his 19th start of the year today. He's 5-9 with a 4.00 ERA after giving up five runs (four earned) in last weekend's start against the Cubs. In the start prior, he held this very Phillies club to just three hits over five scoreless innings in...
Who starts opening day 2022 for the Nationals?
Who starts opening day 2022 for the Nationals?
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Upon recording his 10th strikeout of the night late Wednesday, Max Scherzer stalked off the mound at Dodger Stadium and returned to the home dugout, where a bunch of new teammates doled out high-fives and ultimately pushed the three-time Cy Young Award winner back up the steps to acknowledge a sellout crowd seeking a curtain call. On the other side of the country, Nationals fans could be excused for feeling sickened by the sight of it all. Scherzer wearing Dodger blue, striking out Jose Altuve...
The young pitchers try to find their way, plus other notes
The young pitchers try to find their way, plus other notes
Steve Melewski
Orioles
During a season when Major League Baseball teams have gone from playing 60 to 162 games, all clubs have scrambled at times to cover innings from their pitchers. In the Orioles' case, a rotation that had a very poor first half, coupled with injuries to some key pitchers, may have, in a way, conspired to get some pitchers here before the team was truly comfortable with them getting a big league chance. But they were, in some cases, on the 40-man roster and they got the call. Look at some of the...
Kids show off power, but Nats lose third straight (updated)
Kids show off power, but Nats lose third straight (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals and Phillies existed, for four months, in roughly the same neighborhood. Both star-laden teams struggled to get on any kind of a roll but kept themselves within close enough striking distance of the Mets to believe they might still have a shot at winning an exceptionally weak National League East this season. But then the Nats cratered over the final two weeks of July and decided to hold a fire sale, trading away nearly every veteran on their roster in an attempt to retool for the...
Harvey exits early, Yankees have big inning late to take series finale
Harvey exits early, Yankees have big inning late to take series finale
Steve Melewski
Orioles
It was a strange sequence of events tonight. In the last of the fourth Orioles right-hander Matt Harvey gave up two runs as his scoreless innings streak came to an end. When the last of the fifth began, he was out of the game. These two instances did not seem to be related. No way O's skipper Brandon Hyde would take out a pitcher who had been throwing as well as Harvey recently at just 63 pitches, you would think, and immediately the thought of an injury came to mind. Although it did seem that...
Because You Asked - Heading Home
Because You Asked - Heading Home
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The month of July is behind us and the ol' mailbag is swollen like a tick on a Doberman. The dog days of summer are upon us. I need to get back to answering your questions - over and over without complaint or pointing out how many of them are repetitious. It can be done with sincerity or a dash of sarcasm. It can be informative and fun. It's a floor wax, it's a dessert topping. There is no editing for length, clarity, style or brevity. It's the internet. We have room. Also, my mailbag cup...
Coaching staff remains out, Escobar returns to lineup
Coaching staff remains out, Escobar returns to lineup
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
One week after learning they had tested positive for COVID-19, two remaining Nationals players, five coaches and four other staffers still have not been cleared to rejoin the club. Manager Davey Martinez said the affected personnel are anxious to get back to work but are forced to remain away from the team until getting the green light from officials. "Not yet. Nothing," Martinez said during his Zoom session with reporters prior to tonight's game against the Phillies. "We're still waiting...
Hyde on rotation, Alexander and Tyler Wells and new relievers
Hyde on rotation, Alexander and Tyler Wells and new relievers
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said left-hander Keegan Akin, who tossed three scoreless innings last night in relief, will enter the rotation in Alexander Wells' spot. The Orioles are staying with five starters and keeping them in turn. Extra rest comes with the off-days Thursday and Monday, "which is needed right now for everybody," Hyde said. The Rays are starting Ryan Yarbrough, Shane McClanahan and Michael Wacha in the weekend series at Camden Yards. The Orioles are starting John Means,...
O's game blog: Matt Harvey vs. Jameson Taillon in series finale
O's game blog: Matt Harvey vs. Jameson Taillon in series finale
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The Orioles play the finale of a three-game series at New York and also of their two-city, seven-game road trip tonight at Yankee Stadium. They have split two in New York after going 2-2 at Detroit. So whether they go 3-4 or 4-3 on this trip will be decided tonight in the Bronx. The Orioles got hammered 13-1 last night and it was their fourth loss this year by 11 or more runs. They lost 14-1 June 9 to the Mets and 13-0 on June 23 versus Houston, and those are their biggest losses of the year by...