Could surprisingly productive Escobar figure into '22 plans?
Could surprisingly productive Escobar figure into '22 plans?
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Alcides Escobar enters the day with a .277 batting average, .335 on-base percentage and .699 OPS. That may not knock anyone's socks off, but it's still the most productive the veteran infielder has been at the plate in a long time. Escobar, who didn't play in the big leagues in 2019 or 2020 and only joined the Nationals in July after the club suffered a sudden rash of injuries to its infielders, hasn't owned a batting average this high since 2014, when he was a mainstay in a Royals lineup...
Nats bullpen comes through in 2-1 win over Mets (updated)
Nats bullpen comes through in 2-1 win over Mets (updated)
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Earlier this summer, as the Mets were holding onto their lead in the National League East and the Nationals were starting to make their move up the standings, these late-season matchups between the two rivals loomed large. Perhaps they'd be played in front of packed houses in D.C. and New York, everyone hanging on every pitch with a division title potentially at stake. When the Nats walked into Citi Field this evening, though, the stakes bore no resemblance to what anybody on either side...
Next challenge for baseball's best pitching prospect: Bouncing back
Next challenge for baseball's best pitching prospect: Bouncing back
Steve Melewski
Orioles
BOWIE - When he takes the mound tonight for Double-A Bowie against Erie, the highest-ranked pitching prospect in baseball, right-hander Grayson Rodriguez of the Baysox, will face a unique challenge. It is one he seldom faces. He'll try to pitch well coming off a poor start. Last Tuesday versus the Reading Fightin Phils, the 21-year-old Rodriguez allowed two hits and one run over five innings with one walk and six strikeouts. That start was like most of the 19 he has made this year for both...
Harvey retires 16 in a row, but O's lose 6-3 (updated)
Harvey retires 16 in a row, but O's lose 6-3 (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Ditching a 19-game losing streak and winning two in a row created a positive energy with the Orioles that couldn't withstand the cold water dumped on it tonight. By a team that brings its own buckets. The Rays maintained their hold on the Orioles tonight, scoring three runs in the first and seventh innings with nothing in between, and registering a 6-3 victory before an announced crowd of 7,155 at Camden Yards. Matt Harvey retired the last 16 batters he faced, beginning with his strikeout that...
López looks relieved to be changing responsibilities
López looks relieved to be changing responsibilities
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Jorge López joined the other Orioles pitchers yesterday throwing in the outfield, dark clouds rolling in but failing to produce rain that would have rushed the group back inside the clubhouse. He cut through the dugout after he finished, a big smile on his face, a stark contrast to his mood during and after his last start in St. Petersburg, Fla. López was removed from the game after two innings, and after he received a mound visit to check on his physical condition and a conversation with...
Nationals requiring full-time staffers to be vaccinated
Nationals requiring full-time staffers to be vaccinated
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals have become one of baseball's first teams to require COVID-19 vaccinations for employees, a club official confirmed this afternoon. The Nats informed all full-time staff members earlier this month they would be required to provide proof of vaccination or valid reason to be exempted. The deadline for employees to do so was Thursday. "Like many organizations, the Washington Nationals decided to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for all full-time staff," the club said in a...
Hyde on Harvey, Mateo, Urías, and López
Hyde on Harvey, Mateo, Urías, and López
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles didn't take batting practice this afternoon. Their pitchers threw in the outfield before the Rays went into the cage. Ominous clouds are hovering about the ballpark, but so far no rain. The forecast keeps pushing back the precipitation in Baltimore. Manager Brandon Hyde's media session was moved from the dugout to the Zoom format. He provided an update on reliever Hunter Harvey, who's made three injury rehab appearances with Norfolk and allowed two runs and five hits in three...
Notes from Bowie on playoff push, Stowers' homers, Lowther's outing (updated)
Notes from Bowie on playoff push, Stowers' homers, Lowther's outing (updated)
Steve Melewski
Orioles
BOWIE - With 23 games left to play in this minor league season, a playoff push is on at Double-A Bowie, where the Baysox picked up a huge 8-6 win over Erie last night when right fielder Kyle Stowers hit his second homer of the game to break a 6-6 tie in the last of the eighth. When he hit homers No. 19 and 20 Thursday night, Stowers, the Orioles' No. 71 overall draft pick in 2019 out of Stanford, helped the Baysox improve to 19 games over .500 and hang onto the second-best record in the...
Orioles and Rays lineups
Orioles and Rays lineups
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles will attempt to win their third game in a row tonight, weather permitting, with Jahmai Jones staying at second base and Ramón Urías at shortstop while Jorge Mateo is day-to-day with soreness in his lower back. Manager Brandon Hyde said Mateo is feeling better and could be available in an emergency. Hyde hopes Mateo will return to the lineup in another day or two. Pedro Severino is catching after driving in a career-high six runs yesterday. Ryan Mountcastle is the first...
Game 127 lineups: Nats at Mets
Game 127 lineups: Nats at Mets
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
If you go back about six weeks, back when the Nationals were still wondering if they'd be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline, one of the arguments supporting them to go for it was the Mets' schedule. New York, despite leading the National League East most of the season, was going to face an absolute gauntlet in mid-August, with 13 consecutive games against the Dodgers and Giants. If the Nats could just stay close until then, the thought went, they would have a chance to surpass them...