Nationals manager Davey Martinez had a spring in his step as he met reporters in the home dugout following the annual team picture before tonight's first game against the Braves with: "How's everybody doing!?" He had an upbeat attitude, as he usually does, for good reason. His club won two of three in Minnesota, their first series victory against a team with a winning record since sweeping the Cubs on Aug. 25. "It made it a lot better the fact that we won the game and we played the game,"...

DETROIT - Mason Williams is in center field and batting second tonight for the Orioles in their series opener against the Tigers at Comerica Park. Dwight Smith Jr. is in left field and batting cleanup and Stevie Wilkerson is at second base. Trey Mancini is playing first base and Mark Trumbo is the designated hitter. DJ Stewart is in right field. Aaron Brooks, who starts tonight, allowed three runs in one relief inning against the Tigers earlier this season while pitching for the Athletics....

BOWIE, Md. - He began the season as the center fielder for the Orioles and is ending it in center with Double-A Bowie. But with the season about to end on the farm, 24-year-old outfielder Cedric Mullins is finally getting his bat going and maybe that's the first step to turning around what has been for him a rough 2019 season. Mullins hit just .094 with the Orioles in 19 games to start the season before he was sent to Triple-A Norfolk on April 22. With the Tides he hit .205 in 66 games and was...

Fresh off a series win at the American League Central's first-place Minnesota, the Nationals spend the weekend back home for a quick three-game set against the National League East first-place Atlanta Braves before heading out Monday to St. Louis and then Miami. The Nats took down the Twins 12-6 to stay 3 1/2 games in front of the Cubs and the Brewers for home field advantage in the National League wild card game. Their magic number is 14 to clinch the wild card spot. Tonight, they get back to...

After losing two of three at home to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Orioles (47-99) begin a four-game series in Detroit tonight at Comerica Park. The Birds lost 4-2 to the Dodgers on Thursday and were held to two hits. They went 1-6 on the homestand. They finished the season going 7-13 in interleague play. The Orioles' next loss will be No. 100 and they will have back-to-back years of 100 or more losses for the first time in team history. The 1954 Orioles lost 100, the 1988 club lost 107 and...

MINNEAPOLIS - The Nationals signed Asdrúbal Cabrera to a league minimum deal on Aug. 6 because they needed some short-term help on the right side of the infield. Ryan Zimmerman and Howie Kendrick were both hurt, so the presence of a veteran switch-hitter who could come off the bench and make a start or two at second base and first base was needed. One month later, Cabrera has turned into a vital part of the Nationals' daily lineup, one of the hottest hitters in the league and suddenly their...

BOWIE, Md. - The box score says that Double-A Bowie lefty Alex Wells was the losing pitcher in Game 3 of the Eastern League Championship Series last night. Trenton beat Bowie 2-1 at Prince George's Stadium to take move to within a win of the Eastern League title. But Wells' performance on the field said something very different. He was in command and control and dealing from the outset. Only a rare steal of home put him and his team behind and put that "L" next to his name in the box score....

MINNEAPOLIS - A night getaway game combined with a rain delay might have left the Nationals tired and dreading an overnight flight home in advance of tomorrow's series opener with the Braves. But if nothing else, it gave the Nats a rare opportunity to know exactly what was needed of them on this night, because every other contender for a berth in the National League wild card game had already finished playing. And because the Cubs, Brewers, Mets and Phillies all won, the Nationals knew they...

The Orioles are in Detroit to play four games against the Tigers and manager Brandon Hyde will decide how to cover center field. Hyde wants to keep evaluating Austin Hays. He'd like to do the same with Mason Williams. Only one of them can play center. Though teams are doing some crazy things with shifts. The Orioles view Hays, who had his first career three-hit game Wednesday night, as a potential opening day starter in center. That's how they'd draw it up. Williams can provide depth and...

Actor Barry Williams threw out the ceremonial first pitch before tonight's game at Camden Yards. He didn't walk or hit anyone, which made him more effective and much safer than Dodgers starter Rich Hill. Then again, television's Greg Brady hadn't gone this long without throwing off a mound. His arm is fine. Williams is making the major league rounds, with Baltimore his latest stop. Maybe he's the reason for all of the traffic angst earlier today. A Very Brady Gridlock. Hill, meanwhile,...