Grayson Rodriguez joining Double-A Bowie
Grayson Rodriguez joining Double-A Bowie
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Grayson Rodriguez was destined to pass through Aberdeen. Five dominant starts became his limit. The Orioles are promoting Rodriguez, their top pitching prospect, from the Single-A IronBirds to Double-A Bowie. Rodriguez, the 11th overall selection in the 2018 draft, is the organization's No. 2 prospect per MLBPipeline.com. He threw 23 1/3 innings with Aberdeen, which moved to full-season status in 2021, and allowed only four runs and 11 hits with five walks and 40 strikeouts. Rodriguez is 13-6...
García shows off two-strike approach with first MLB triple
García shows off two-strike approach with first MLB triple
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals produced a grand total of two extra-base hits during their just-completed three-game series with the Reds. One was Josh Bell's ninth-inning homer on Tuesday night, one that helped them avoid a shutout but still resulted in a 2-1 loss. The other was Luis García's triple Thursday afternoon, and though it had no significant bearing on account of the Nats' 5-3 win, it did offer a glimpse into the 21-year-old's ability and growth at the plate. "A big at-bat in that moment right...
O's try to deal with a losing streak that reaches double digits
O's try to deal with a losing streak that reaches double digits
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Both Orioles pitcher Paul Fry and manager Brandon Hyde, in separate pregame Zoom interviews on Thursday, discussed dealing with losing for an organization that is in rebuilding mode. You knew some of it would happen, but going into last night's game, the club had just two wins in the last three weeks. Times that many figured would be rough were rough times 10. Last night, the Orioles lost to the first-place Chicago White Sox 5-1 as the losing streak reached 10 overall and nine in road...
Mancini leaves early and losing streak lengthens (updated)
Mancini leaves early and losing streak lengthens (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Austin Hays is on the injured list again with a strained hamstring. Ryan Mountcastle is day-to-day with a bruised hand. And now there's Trey Mancini, drilled on the right elbow tonight and unable to stay in the game after making a couple of throws across the infield in the bottom of the first inning. Aren't the losses bringing enough pain? How much more are the Orioles supposed to endure? They didn't need to watch Mancini collapse to the ground, grimacing with forehead planted in the dirt,...
Offensive woes on display again in shutout loss (updated)
Offensive woes on display again in shutout loss (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
There's no mystery surrounding the Nationals right now. Nobody has to dig deep into the analytics trying to figure out why they're not winning enough games. The answer is right there for everyone to see, young and old, expert and novice, old school and new school. They aren't hitting. At all. Tonight's 3-0, seven-inning loss to the Reds in the nightcap of a pseudo-doubleheader necessitated by the suspension of Wednesday night's game due to rain would have been alarming if not for the fact...
Finding the good during another down period
Finding the good during another down period
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles tend to create a reflex action of eyes darting to the farm system in search of anything positive. A No. 5 ranking is a vision of loveliness during an unsightly rebuild. However, there are individual stories on the major league club that shouldn't be treated as if invisible. And it's good for the soul to embrace them. Three examples immediately came to mind yesterday. With arms wide open. Of course, the first baseman getting drilled on the right elbow last night by a 95 mph...
O's game blog: The series begins in Chicago
O's game blog: The series begins in Chicago
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The search for a win to end a long losing streak has moved from Washington to Minnesota and now on to Chicago. Tonight the Orioles take on the first-place White Sox in the first of a four-game series and the seventh game of their current road trip. The trip began after the Orioles allowed 32 runs in losing three straight at home versus Tampa Bay. Then they lost three in Washington by a combined 22-16 score and three at Minnesota by 18-9. The Orioles (17-32) begin tonight 13 1/2 games behind the...
Orioles and White Sox lineups (updated)
Orioles and White Sox lineups (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles are back to having 26 players on their active roster after reinstating reliever Dillon Tate from the injured list this afternoon. Tate was on the IL with a strained left hamstring. He threw a spotless inning Tuesday night with Triple-A Norfolk in his only rehab game, striking out one batter and throwing only nine pitches. The roster had an opening after the Orioles optioned starter Dean Kremer to Norfolk yesterday morning. "I'm happy to have Dillon back because Dillon's a guy...
Game 46 lineups: Nats vs. Reds
Game 46 lineups: Nats vs. Reds
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
After winning the completion of Wednesday night's suspended game, the Nationals now attempt to sweep this not-really-a-doubleheader against the Reds, hoping to get a big-time start from Stephen Strasburg and avoid using the relievers they needed to close out the earlier 5-3 win. Strasburg was pretty good in his first start off the injured list, tossing 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the Orioles, though he pretty clearly was running out of gas by the fifth. The Nats will hope the right-hander...
O's Paul Fry on how players are holding up during losing run
O's Paul Fry on how players are holding up during losing run
Steve Melewski
Orioles
He is in his fourth season on the Orioles. Which means reliever Paul Fry was not here in 2016, when the club was last in the playoffs. In fact, it was during his first year in 2018 that the Orioles made the mid-season trades of Manny Machado, Zack Britton and others. He's seen a lot of ups and downs in this game and been on an O's team that lost 115 games in 2018. Now as an elder statesman in the bullpen and with more tenure than many on this club, he's trying to be a player others can lean...