Mountcastle on rookie heels of Ripken and Murray
Mountcastle on rookie heels of Ripken and Murray
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The comparisons came to Ryan Mountcastle almost from the minute that the Orioles selected him with their second pick in the 2015 draft. His size, the position he played. There was an attachment to Cal Ripken Jr. long before he approached the Hall of Famer's club record for most home runs by a rookie in a season. Mountcastle enters today's doubleheader needing only one to tie Eddie Murray for second place with 27 and leave him one behind Ripken, baseball's Iron Man. Two legends of the game....
Santander's tiebreaking homer pushes Orioles past Jays (updated)
Santander's tiebreaking homer pushes Orioles past Jays (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles know exactly what's at stake. The importance of the remaining games for each opponent that's in a pennant race. Vying for a division title or the distinction of a wild card. A team buried in last place can wield plenty of influence. And the Orioles are going to take their biggest swings at it. Don't strive to be a spoiler but hope to succeed at it. Cedric Mullins and Ryan McKenna homered in the first inning tonight and rookie Chris Ellis grinded through the fifth before the Blue...
Nationals' fill-in closers can't close out Pirates (updated)
Nationals' fill-in closers can't close out Pirates (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
They got another quality start from Josh Rogers. They got a big blast from Josh Bell in his return to Pittsburgh. The Nationals just needed their bullpen to finish off the Pirates. A bullpen that featured two unfamiliar people pitching the bottom of the ninth, which ultimately undid the Nats. Patrick Murphy, given a chance to close with Kyle Finnegan unavailable due to his recent workload, got into a jam and had to give way to Alberto Baldonado, who inherited a second-and-third jam and let the...
MLB suspends Nolin five games, Martinez one game (updated)
MLB suspends Nolin five games, Martinez one game (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Major League Baseball has suspended Nationals pitcher Sean Nolin five games and manager Davey Martinez one game after determining Nolin intentionally hit Braves slugger Freddie Freeman with a pitch Wednesday night in Atlanta. Nolin, who was also fined an undisclosed amount, initially appealed his suspension and was to remain on the active roster until his case was heard, but the Nationals later announced the lefty dropped his appeal and began serving the suspension tonight. Martinez is serving...
More on Harvey and López being shut down for season
More on Harvey and López being shut down for season
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles are shutting down pitchers Matt Harvey and Jorge López for the remainder of the season, leaving their futures in the organization in varying states of uncertainty. Harvey went on the 10-day injured list yesterday with inflammation in his right knee. López beat him to it after leaving Monday's game against the Royals with a sprained right ankle. Manager Brandon Hyde announced both decisions earlier today. Harvey underwent further testing on the knee, which he injured Aug. 4...
O's game blog: Orioles host Blue Jays in series opener
O's game blog: Orioles host Blue Jays in series opener
Steve Melewski
Orioles
As the American League wild card race comes down the stretch, the Orioles will have plenty of involvement, playing 16 of their remaining 23 games versus three AL East playoff contenders. Tonight, they begin a four-game series in Baltimore against the Toronto Blue Jays. It's a three-day series that includes Saturday's straight doubleheader that begins at 4:35 p.m. Boston (80-62) holds the first AL wild card as the weekend begins, but New York (78-62) and Toronto (77-62) are right on the Red...
Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays
Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Jorge Mateo and Ramón Urías are out of the lineup tonight due to their physical issues, which puts Richie Martin back in the Orioles lineup for the series opener against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. Martin is playing shortstop in his first game since the Orioles recalled him. Urías continues to receive treatment on his right upper leg and Mateo is enduring some unspecified discomfort. Manager Brandon Hyde saw Mateo struggle to get out of the box last night and wondered if the...
Game 141 lineups: Nats at Pirates
Game 141 lineups: Nats at Pirates
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
If you're interested in silver linings, here's one for you: The Nationals are done playing the National League's division title contenders for the season. Yep, they're wrapped things up against the Braves, Phillies, Mets, Brewers, Giants and Dodgers, and though there are still series remaining with the wild card contending Reds and Red Sox, the worst of the schedule is now behind them. And that could be significant, because of this fact: The Nats finished a dismal 22-55 against those six NL...
Friday morning Nats Q&A
Friday morning Nats Q&A
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
We are inching toward the finish line of this most unusual season. The Nationals have 22 games left to play, none of them against the National League East's three remaining contenders. It's going to be the Pirates, Marlins (home and home), Rockies (home and home), Reds and Red Sox to close out the 2021 campaign, so there appear to be both winnable games and some interesting matchups with playoff contenders still on tap over the final three weeks. Before the Nats get a weekend series going in...
A few O's notes as they await the Toronto weekend series
A few O's notes as they await the Toronto weekend series
Steve Melewski
Orioles
A few thoughts and notes on the Orioles, who were shut out 6-0 by Kansas City last night. The Orioles were held to three singles as they fell to 45-94 and now await a series with the Toronto Blue Jays that begins tonight at Oriole Park. No runs, no win: A night after their nine-run last of the eighth inning and comeback win, the Baltimore offense was quiet. They got three straight singles with two outs in the last of the second. They got no other hits before that brief rally and none after. And...