Upcoming dates with lots of or little interest to Orioles
Upcoming dates with lots of or little interest to Orioles
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Another important offseason date that doesn't really impact the Orioles arrives on Monday. Teams no longer will have exclusive negotiating rights with their own free agents. Other executives can start courting them. The Orioles won't attempt to re-sign Mark Trumbo, so it doesn't matter to them. Monday also marks the deadline for teams to issue the $17.8 million qualifying offer to free agents. The Orioles obviously won't do it with Trumbo. And teams can exercise or decline options and...
Williams declines outright assignment
Williams declines outright assignment
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles are continuing to clear space on their 40-man roster for future moves. Outfielder Mason Williams was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk after clearing waivers and declined the assignment, electing free agency rather than staying in the organization. He could be re-signed later in the winter, but will explore other opportunities. Williams already was eligible to become a minor league free agent if he hadn't been placed on the 25-man roster. The outright assignment was listed yesterday...
Fans at Nats Park cheer from afar as the boys win title in Houston
Fans at Nats Park cheer from afar as the boys win title in Houston
Byron Kerr
Nationals
The Nationals won their first world championship Wednesday night, coming back from an early deficit to stun the Astros and their fans in a 6-2 victory in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Some 1,413 miles away in rainy Nationals Park, an a crowd estimated at more than 30,000 watched the game on the big screen and cheered for their team so everyone in the state of Texas could hear. The rain intensified as the night wore on, but so did the noise when Anthony Rendon...
Star-studded, resilient Nationals earned this title
Star-studded, resilient Nationals earned this title
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
HOUSTON - It would be easy to look at the 2019 Washington Nationals as a good team that went on a great October run to win the World Series. Really, it's one of the great October runs (12-5 to topple the Brewers, Dodgers, Cardinals and Astros) in baseball's wild card era. But that's still not entirely fair to this team. It seems to minimize the big picture and label the Nats as a team that simply got red-hot at the right time and rode the wave all the way to a championship. Here's how they...
National champs: D.C. rallies again to win World Series (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
HOUSTON - It had to happen this way. It could not have happened any other way. If the Nationals were going to win the World Series, if they were going to deliver Washington its first Major League Baseball championship in 95 years, they were going to have to do it the same way they had done it all season long - and especially all postseason long. Th
A few World Series notes and takes as the season comes to an end
A few World Series notes and takes as the season comes to an end
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The 2019 Major League Baseball season is over. The Washington Nationals beat the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 last night to take the Series, four wins to three. The visiting team won every game of the Series. On their way to their first championship, the Nationals beat a 106-win Dodgers team and a 107-win Houston club. They played in five elimination games in the playoffs, trailed in each, and won all five. The Nationals lost Bryce Harper via free agency to Philly. They were 19-31 after 50...
Suzuki scratched from lineup, Gomes to catch (Nats win 6-2)
Suzuki scratched from lineup, Gomes to catch (Nats win 6-2)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
HOUSTON - Much as he hoped to be behind the plate one more time in 2019, Kurt Suzuki instead will have to watch Game 7 of the World Series from the bench, with perhaps a chance he comes off the bench at some point. Suzuki, who hasn't played since injuring his right hip flexor in Game 3 on Friday, was initially included in tonight's starting lineup, batting eighth and catching Max Scherzer. But he was scratched by the Nationals about 2 1/2 hours before first pitch, with Yan Gomes taking his...
Last game marks beginning of free agency
Last game marks beginning of free agency
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The World Series is over and the 2019 season officially has been put to bed. Long past a reasonable hour. Players will begin hitting the free agent market instead of fastballs. It's one of the most important early developments of the offseason. The list of Orioles pending free agents usually has more meat on it. Mark Trumbo stands alone this year unless the club decides later to non-tender players who remain eligible for arbitration. The discussion over which free agents could be re-signed is...
World Series Game 7 lineups: Nats at Astros (updated)
World Series Game 7 lineups: Nats at Astros (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
HOUSTON - Well, here we are. It's the day before Halloween. There's one baseball game remaining on the 2019 schedule. And the Nationals are playing in it. Who'd have thunk it? There's really nothing like Game 7 of the World Series. It's something so many other teams and fan bases have experienced before, including the Astros only two years ago, but it's completely new for the Nationals, who had never even been involved in a Game 6 in any round of the postseason prior to Tuesday night....
Orioles claim Valaika off waivers and outright four
Orioles claim Valaika off waivers and outright four
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles have reduced their 40-man roster to 38 players while making a waiver claim and outrighting four pitchers to Triple-A Norfolk. Much more activity will follow as the season concludes tonight with Game 7 of the World Series. Infielder Pat Valaika has been selected from the Rockies, who chose him in the ninth round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of UCLA. He plays every infield position, mostly in the middle, and has some experience in left field. Right-handers Luis Ortiz, Ryan...