Nationals again left to solve rotation without Strasburg
Nationals again left to solve rotation without Strasburg
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Anytime during his 11-year career Stephen Strasburg has looked as bad as he did Tuesday night in St. Louis, when he was rocked for eight runs in five innings with diminished velocity, erratic command and poor body language, the right-hander has proven either to be injured or tipping his pitches. Turns out he was injured after all. The Nationals placed Strasburg on the 10-day injured list this morning with right shoulder inflammation, a transaction loaded with ramifications, the most immediate...
Nationals select the contract of Paolo Espino and recall Ryne Harper
Nationals select the contract of Paolo Espino and recall Ryne Harper
Doug Miller
Nationals
The Washington Nationals selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Paolo Espino and recalled right-handed pitcher Ryne Harper from the Alternate Training Site (Fredericksburg) on Sunday. Additionally, the Nationals placed right-handed pitchers Stephen Strasburg (right shoulder inflammation; retroactive to 4/15) and Wander Suero (left oblique strain) on the 10-day Injured List. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Espino, 34, will...
Orioles recall Cole Sulser, give Trey Mancini the day off
Orioles recall Cole Sulser, give Trey Mancini the day off
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles filled the opening on their 26-man roster today by recalling reliever Cole Sulser from the alternate training site in Bowie. Sulser is riding the proverbial shuttle. He broke camp with the team, was optioned to make room for reliever Shawn Armstrong and served as the 27th man in Thursday's doubleheader. In two appearances, Sulser has tossed three scoreless innings with no walks and five strikeouts. He was on the taxi squad. Dean Kremer was optioned late last night because the...
Game 13 lineups: Nats vs. Diamondbacks (Strasburg to IL)
Game 13 lineups: Nats vs. Diamondbacks (Strasburg to IL)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals would like to win today's series finale against the Diamondbacks, no question. If they do, they'd have taken three of four over the weekend and five of seven over the last week, a nice bounceback since that ragged 1-5 start to the season. But truth be told, there's a bigger story going on right now that supersedes anything: Stephen Strasburg is injured. Despite his and the team's insistence nothing was physically wrong Tuesday night when he was shelled in St. Louis, the...
Mancini's hit, Galvis' defense, Kremer's bounceback part of O's winning night
Mancini's hit, Galvis' defense, Kremer's bounceback part of O's winning night
Steve Melewski
Orioles
On a night when it looked like they might get shut out, instead the Orioles scored six late runs to beat the Texas Rangers Saturday night. They have started their road trip with 5-2 and 6-1 wins. It had to be nice to win coming from behind, as they were down 1-0 heading to the seventh. But to see Trey Mancini get the go-ahead run home was big-time icing on a cake that tasted pretty darn good. There were positive signs all around. Mancini doubled in the run in the eighth that provided a 2-1...
O's win at Texas was led by previously struggling players (with quotes)
O's win at Texas was led by previously struggling players (with quotes)
Steve Melewski
Orioles
It was not just that the Orioles produced a comeback win in Texas, one that gives them a series victory. It was how they did it and who was responsible that was also quite big. Struggling Trey Mancini lined a go-ahead double in the eighth. Right-hander Dean Kremer, who had a 10.50 ERA at game time, pitched a strong game on three days' rest. Shortstop Freddy Galvis had four hits and started one sensational double play. And the improving Orioles bullpen had another good night. And down by 1-0...
Notes on Hays, Hanhold, Abad and Fry
Notes on Hays, Hanhold, Abad and Fry
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
A roster move is pending for the Orioles, with outfielder Austin Hays appearing ready to be activated Tuesday in Miami. Exactly how it was expected to happen. Hays felt fine after playing seven innings Friday afternoon against the Nationals in Fredericksburg, Va., and he was back in left field yesterday for four innings in an intrasquad game at the alternate training site in Bowie. I heard that he looked good again at the plate and in the field. What's left now is a recovery day with camp...
Injuries in 'pen could create chances for Clay, McGowin
Injuries in 'pen could create chances for Clay, McGowin
Pete Kerzel
Nationals
Back when the Nationals broke spring training and headed north, the bullpen looked like a definite strength. The addition of closer Brad Hand set the Nats up for a lockdown back end, and guys like Wander Suero and Kyle Finnegan backed up the high-leverage relievers with the potential to pitch multiple innings in middle relief. Now, barely two weeks into the season, the bullpen is growing shakier by the day. Right-hander Will Harris hit the injured list with what was thought to be a blood clot,...
O's pregame notes on Mancini, Kremer and more
O's pregame notes on Mancini, Kremer and more
Steve Melewski
Orioles
As the Orioles get set to play the second game of their series at Texas tonight, manager Brandon Hyde has dropped Trey Mancini to fifth in the batting order for the first time this year. Mancini, batting .151/.220/.358/.579 in 59 plate appearances, went 0-for-4 in last night's 5-2 win with four strikeouts. He is 1-for-16 (.063) his last five games and 4-for-33 (.121) his last nine. And while he does lead the club with three homers and ranks second with 10 RBIs, the skipper will drop him down...
O's game blog: Looking for two in a row at Texas
O's game blog: Looking for two in a row at Texas
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The Orioles' 5-2 win at Texas last night was just their second win in a series-opening game this season. They won the other series when they got the opener, in the first series at Boston. Tonight the clubs meet in the middle game of a three-game series at Globe Life Field. The Orioles entered the Texas series having lost six of the previous seven games and were 2-8 since their 3-0 start. But it was a nice start to a road trip as Jorge López and four bullpen pitchers combined on a...