Lakins making rare start tonight in Houston
Lakins making rare start tonight in Houston
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles have decided on Travis Lakins Sr. as tonight's starter against the Astros in Houston. The mystery ended around noon with the team announcing it. Lakins, celebrating his 27th birthday, is making his fourth major league start and first since Sept. 26, 2019 with the Red Sox. None of his starts have lasted more than two innings and he worked a career-high four in relief Thursday in Buffalo. Pretty much indicates an opener, with Lakins perhaps followed by rookie left-hander Alexander...
Soto doesn't have concrete answer for lack of power
Soto doesn't have concrete answer for lack of power
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
When Juan Soto steps to the plate these days, he does so with one task in mind: Get on base. Don't worry about hitting a ball 450 feet somewhere. Just do whatever it takes to reach, whether via single, walk or some other mechanism. And he's done quite well in that department, with a .396 on-base percentage that ranks among the league leaders. "Yeah, that's what I'm trying to do," Soto said Monday during a face-to-face interview with several reporters at Nationals Park. "Like I told the...
Orioles issue walks and score late runs in 9-7 win (updated)
Orioles issue walks and score late runs in 9-7 win (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde spun his lineup again tonight in an attempt to find the right combination. A group that can make plays in the field and generate runs. Perhaps run with an opportunity. Locating strike-throwers also is on the agenda. The shuffling in the rotation is happening now in the infield with the arrivals of Domingo Leyba and Ramón Urías. They started again tonight, with Urías at short and Leyba switching from second base to third base. Slumps and health factor into...
Tough breaks for Martin keeping him away from shortstop
Tough breaks for Martin keeping him away from shortstop
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The injury to shortstop Freddy Galvis, a strained quadriceps muscle in his right leg perhaps keeping him out of the lineup for the next two months, opened another door that Richie Martin couldn't walk through. Martin missed the 2020 season with a fractured right wrist, an injury sustained while playing in an intrasquad game at summer training camp at Camden Yards. Meanwhile, shortstop José Iglesias was in and out of the lineup because of an aching left quadriceps. Surgery to remove a broken...
With homer barrage, Nats take down Mets again (updated)
With homer barrage, Nats take down Mets again (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
As the balls flew off the bats of Kyle Schwarber (twice), Trea Turner and Gerardo Parra, and as Paolo Espino was carving up the Mets for five scoreless innings, the mood inside of Nationals Park was ... well, how exactly to describe this? Was it ecstasy? Was it delirium? Was it some emotion that has yet to be defined, because nobody in attendance had ever witnessed anything quite like this on a baseball field in a long time? And then how to describe the vibe as the Nationals bullpen turned a...
Not drafted last year, this player is having a great start on O's farm
Not drafted last year, this player is having a great start on O's farm
Steve Melewski
Orioles
ABERDEEN - For a player who was not even drafted last year, first baseman JD Mundy is having some first season of professional baseball. After a college career that took him to Virginia Tech for two years and then to Radford for two more, the Roanoke, Va., native leads the Orioles organization on the farm in homers, slugging and OPS. The player taken 1/1 in the 2019 draft, Double-A Bowie catcher Adley Rutschman, is second to Mundy in homers and OPS this season. So, yeah, pretty good for the...
O's game blog: Road trip continues at Houston
O's game blog: Road trip continues at Houston
Steve Melewski
Orioles
After losing three of four games in Buffalo against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Orioles have arrived at the second stop on a three-city, 10-game trip. They play at Houston tonight to start a three-game series against the first-place Astros. The Orioles (24-54) beat the Blue Jays Friday night, 6-5 in 10 innings, but lost 12-4 and 5-2 the last two days. They started the season by winning 11 of 17 on the road, but are now 1-22 in the last 23 road contests. That makes them 12-28 for the year in road...
Robles out of lineup with sore knee, but able to take BP
Robles out of lineup with sore knee, but able to take BP
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Victor Robles is out of the Nationals lineup, his right knee still bothering him enough to keep him from starting against the Mets one day after he was struck by a pitch in Miami. It was not bothering the 24-year-old center fielder enough, though, to keep him from participating in batting practice, suggesting he may not need to miss much time. Robles took a full round of BP with teammates, and though he wasn't moving around at full strength, he didn't appear to be significantly...
Orioles and Astros lineups (updated)
Orioles and Astros lineups (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Domingo Leyba is playing third base tonight as the Orioles open a three-game series in Houston. Maikel Franco and Anthony Santander are on the bench. Austin Hays is in right field and batting second, Ryan McKenna is in left and Ramón Urías is playing shortstop. Pat Valaika gets the start at second base. Urías has a seven-game hitting streak that was interrupted by his return to Triple-A Norfolk. He's 8-for-16 with a double, home run and six RBIs during the streak. Leyba went 0-for-4...
Orioles Hall of Fame luncheon tickets on sale now
Orioles Hall of Fame luncheon tickets on sale now
Pete Kerzel
Orioles
Tickets for the 2021 Orioles Hall of Fame luncheon, honoring shortstop J.J. Hardy, outfielder Mike Devereaux, broadcaster Joe Angel, and superfan Mo Gaba, are now on sale. The inductees will be guests at a luncheon at Oriole Park at Camden Yards sponsored by the Oriole Advocates, founders of the Orioles Hall of Fame, on Friday, August 6, at 12:00 p.m. ET, as well as during an on-field ceremony prior to the Orioles game on Saturday, August 7, against the Tampa Bay Rays. Tickets for the luncheon...