O's game blog: Matt Harvey faces Mets at Citi Field
After they allowed two runs in the last of the ninth last night and lost 3-2 to the New York Mets, the Orioles will try to bounce back today. They play the Mets at Citi Field, looking for a win to split the two-game series. New York came to bat in the last of the eighth trailing the Orioles 2-0, but scored once in the eighth and twice in the ninth off César Valdez to come back and win. The first-place Mets improved to 17-13 and have won six in a row, allowing only 13 runs in those games. The...
Orioles

Orioles lineup vs. Mets (updated)
Matt Harvey is back on the Citi Field mound this afternoon as the Orioles try to split their two-game series against the Mets and return home. Harvey hasn't pitched in New York since May 2018. The defense behind him includes Rio Ruiz at second base, Ryan Mountcastle in left field and Austin Hays in right. From 2012-15, Harvey posted a 2.05 ERA in 35 starts at Citi Field and 27 were quality by definition. Shortstop Freddy Galvis is 22-for-60 (.367) in his last 18 games. The Orioles have...
Orioles

Emotional Zimmermann retires, recalls memories of time in D.C.
Jordan Zimmermann, as publicly stoic and unemotional a ballplayer as you'll ever meet, was already feeling his eyes begin to well up as he discussed his decision to retire Tuesday on a Zoom session with reporters who cover each of the three teams he pitched for during his career. "I just felt like after 15 years of playing ball, my mind was still in it, but my body wasn't," the right-hander said. And when, about 12 minutes into the call, Zimmermann was asked by a writer from Detroit about...
Nationals

Notes on pitchers' strengths, Matt Harvey's start and DL Hall
It was an interesting question posed to Orioles pitching coach Chris Holt during a recent Zoom interview with reporters. As pitchers continue to get better, throw with more and with more velocity, and use technology to improve spin rates and breaking pitches, are scouting reports less important? Are pitchers improving so much and so confident in their strengths that they pitch to that more often than working with a scouting report to find hitters' weaknesses? "I guess it depends on the...
Orioles

Nats squander chances at plate again, fall to Phillies (updated)
You can point to a number of reasons the Nationals find themselves in the basement of a tight National League East division in mid-May, but inevitably you come back to the same irrefutable conclusion: They just aren't scoring enough runs on a consistent basis to win games. Even when they get a less-than-stellar showing from their starter, or meltdown from their bullpen, the Nats still find themselves facing a key moment late in a game in which one big hit with runners on base could be the...
Nationals
Means follows no-hitter with six scoreless innings in 3-2 loss
Means follows no-hitter with six scoreless innings in 3-2 loss
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde didn't need to state the obvious with left-hander John Means. Didn't need to remind the ace to control his emotions in his first start after tossing a no-hitter in Seattle. The pregame tasks didn't include delivering special messages to Means. There would be some concessions after Means threw a career-high 113 pitches, the implementation of an extra day's rest already done. Hyde would monitor him closely and not push him. "I don't say anything," Hyde insisted...
More on Matt Harvey's matchup with the Mets
More on Matt Harvey's matchup with the Mets
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Matt Harvey is pitching in New York today, and if this is news to you, I admire your 20-20 tunnel vision. Harvey hasn't stepped on the Citi Field mound since his relief appearance on May 3, 2018, which led to the Mets' attempts to option him. Which led to Harvey's refusal and the decision to designate him for assignment. Though it's pretty much impossible to do, Harvey has tried to shut out the distractions and reduce the fuss made over his return to Queens. He wanted to wait until after...
O's game blog: John Means faces Mets in series opener
O's game blog: John Means faces Mets in series opener
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Orioles lefty John Means was stacking up good start after good start, and just when it seemed it would be hard for the next one to top the last one, he pitched a no-hitter. Coming off his 12-strikeout no-hitter last Wednesday at Seattle, Means (4-0, 1.37 ERA) is back on the mound tonight at Citi Field as the Orioles begin a two-game series with the first-place New York Mets. Means pitched the O's first no-hitter since four pitchers (Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson, Gregg Olson)...
Strasburg builds up to 62 pitches, Suero almost ready to return
Strasburg builds up to 62 pitches, Suero almost ready to return
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Stephen Strasburg took a significant step forward in his return from a shoulder injury today when he threw 62 pitches over four innings during a simulated game at Nationals Park. Strasburg, out since April 18 with right shoulder inflammation, was initially scheduled to only pitch three innings but felt strong enough after walking off the mound following the third simulated frame to ask for an opportunity to go back out for another. The club's coaching and medical staff agreed, so he wound up...
Updating Flaa and Baumann, Orioles and Mets lineups (updated)
Updating Flaa and Baumann, Orioles and Mets lineups (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles have lost reliever Jay Flaa on a waiver claim by the Braves. Flaa, 28, made his major league debut on April 27 and tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings. He walked two Yankees and struck out Aaron Judge. The Orioles optioned him to the alternate training site in Bowie after the game to create a spot for Dean Kremer. The Orioles decided Saturday that Flaa would be designated for assignment as they claimed left-hander Brandon Waddell off waivers from the Twins and assigned him to Triple-A...
Game 31 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies
Game 31 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals are in the midst of a rough stretch, no doubt about it. They've lost five of their last six and are back in last place in the division. And yet, when you consider they lost three of those games by one run (two via walk-off) and another by two runs, the situation very easily could be reversed. Is that reason for optimism or pessimism? Guess it depends on how you prefer to view life (or, at least, baseball). The next three nights, then, present an opportunity to flip the script and...
A look at the rotation that led Aberdeen to a 5-1 start
A look at the rotation that led Aberdeen to a 5-1 start
Steve Melewski
Orioles
For the high Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds, it was a stunning run of outstanding pitching to start the year. They won their first five games at Wilmington last Tuesday through Saturday, allowing just eight runs total. And Aberdeen's starting pitchers - led by national top 100 prospect Grayson Rodriguez - allowed just one run over 23 innings during the 5-0 start. Rodriguez was the IronBirds' opening night starter and returned for Sunday's game, allowing one run over 3 1/3 innings, but the...
Rounding up the first week of the minor league season
Rounding up the first week of the minor league season
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The first week of the minor league season is complete, and for the first time in two years, we actually have some box scores and stats to pore through and get a sense of the state of the Nationals farm system. The Nats' four full-season affiliates are off to a rough start record-wise, but there have been some notable individual performances so far. Let's run through each of the clubs, with some notable developments from the last week. Keep in mind that with COVID-19 protocols, the schedule...
López, Mountcastle, Mancini and 'pen team for 4-1 win (updated)
López, Mountcastle, Mancini and 'pen team for 4-1 win (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Jorge López still doesn't have a smudge on his first-inning work this season, stranding a runner tonight and pumping his sinker at 96-98 mph. Opponents have four hits in 25 at-bats. How far would he venture into his latest start? That's always the curiosity with López. Ryan Mountcastle attacked the first pitch thrown to him leading off the second inning and drove it deep into the left field seats. How far it traveled wasn't as important as the way he's climbed back into the cleanup...
Jorge López clears fifth-inning hurdle and O's beat Red Sox
Jorge López clears fifth-inning hurdle and O's beat Red Sox
Steve Melewski
Orioles
He's been pitching better lately and tonight Orioles right-hander Jorge López got past a big obstacle - the fifth inning. Entering this outing tonight - his seventh of the 2021 season - López had an ERA of 3.00 when pitching in the first four innings of his starts. But his ERA in the fifth inning was 42.43. That is not good. He had allowed 11 earned runs over 2 1/3 innings. And opponents had eight hits in 14 at-bats, including three homers, against him in that inning. But there he went...
       
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