O's game blog: The White Sox series begins at the Yard
O's game blog: The White Sox series begins at the Yard
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The Orioles, after splitting the first two games of their series against Toronto, had the third game rained out last night. Tonight the team welcomes the first-place Chicago White Sox to town to begin a three-game weekend series. The Orioles (28-58) have lost four of their last five games but are 5-6 over their last 11. They are 13-27 at home and now are 11-24 versus American League East teams after beating Toronto 7-5 Tuesday before a 10-2 loss on Wednesday. Through 86 games, the club has...
Watkins was ready to walk before pitching for Orioles
Watkins was ready to walk before pitching for Orioles
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Agent Matthew Gaeta contacted every team in baseball last winter, trying to find a job for pitcher Spenser Watkins before the right-hander changed professions. Before baseball became a teaching position. Twenty-nine showed no interest at first, Gaeta said, and only the Orioles stayed in contact with Gaeta. Mike Snyder, the director of pro scouting, checked video of Watkins and moved the process forward. Where it took Watkins has become one of the more enjoyable stories of the 2021 season. His...
Breaking down the breakdowns in shocking loss
Breaking down the breakdowns in shocking loss
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
There's still so much to process about Thursday night's 9-8 loss in San Diego, a Nationals loss that can't begin to be adequately explained merely through the final score. Let's try to delve into a few more aspects of this wackadoodle game at Petco Park, which at times defied explanation. ... * Max Scherzer's meltdown was as quick as it was shocking. It's not just that he gave up seven runs in the bottom of the fourth. It's that he gave up seven runs in the bottom of the fourth after...
Scherzer, Nats turn eight-run lead into 9-8 loss (updated)
Scherzer, Nats turn eight-run lead into 9-8 loss (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
They led by eight runs after 3 1/2 innings, with Max Scherzer cruising and looking very much like he wanted to make a definitive statement about his exclusion from the All-Star Game roster for the first time since 2012. How that somehow turned into a one-run lead 10 batters into the worst nightmare of a fourth inning Scherzer or anyone else on the Nationals could ever have dreamed up, a nightmare that included the first grand slam by a relief pitcher in the major leagues since 1985, defied...
Taking the rotation for another spin
Taking the rotation for another spin
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles confirmed again yesterday how their starters will line up heading into the All-Star break. The rainout didn't force an adjustment beyond denying Dillon Tate his first major league assignment as an opener. Jorge López, Thomas Eshelman and Spenser Watkins are going to oppose the White Sox in the weekend series that begins tonight at Camden Yards, followed by four days without games. Four days to pretty much make anything possible. There are only a few certainties to begin the...
Sizing up the O's at No. 5 with Baseball America's JJ Cooper
Sizing up the O's at No. 5 with Baseball America's JJ Cooper
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Baseball America recently did a mock draft with their staff picking for the teams. High school shortstop Jordan Lawler went first to Pittsburgh, followed by Vanderbilt pitcher Jack Leiter to Texas, high school shortstop Marcelo Mayer to Detroit and high school shortstop Kahlil Watson to Boston. That left the Orioles, selecting No. 5 overall, with Vandy pitcher Kumar Rocker still out there in this exercise, along with highly rated high school shortstop Brady House, high school pitcher Jackson...
Ross lands on IL but expected to return after break
Ross lands on IL but expected to return after break
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals have been talking for months about the need to monitor Joe Ross' workload after the he opted out of the 2020 season. They weren't necessarily planning to give the right-hander time off right now in advance of the All-Star break, but when he reported tightness in his forearm following his between-starts bullpen session Wednesday, it was an easy decision for the club to take him off the active roster. Ross was placed on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation before...
Game 86 lineups: Nats at Padres
Game 86 lineups: Nats at Padres
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
We talked about the daunting two-week stretch the Nationals were going to face heading into the All-Star break, with 14 games in 14 days against five contenders. Well, 10 games in they've managed to go 5-5 despite a swath of injuries and a four-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers last weekend. And tonight they have a chance to win three of four on the road from the Padres. That's not bad at all. It's a premier pitching matchup for the series finale at Petco Park, with All-Star Yu Darvish...
Tonight's Blue Jays-Orioles game postponed due to rain
Tonight's Blue Jays-Orioles game postponed due to rain
Pete Kerzel
Orioles
Tonight's scheduled game between the Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays has been postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a traditional (single-admission) doubleheader on Saturday, September 11. Both games of the doubleheader on Saturday, September 11, will be seven innings. The first game will begin at 4:35 p.m. ET, followed by game two approximately 45 minutes after the first game concludes. Fans holding tickets for the originally scheduled 7:05 p.m. game on...
Orioles recall Anderson from Triple-A Norfolk (game postponed)
Orioles recall Anderson from Triple-A Norfolk (game postponed)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles have optioned left-hander Zac Lowther to Triple-A Norfolk this afternoon and recalled pitcher Shaun Anderson from the Tides. Anderson can become the 47th player used by the Orioles this season. He was on the field earlier today to do some throwing while a light rain fell at Camden Yards. Lowther worked two innings last night, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh and surrendered a run in the eighth. He can return to Norfolk's rotation. The Orioles claimed Anderson, 26, off...