Game 116 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
Game 116 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The Nationals are back home again, having just suffered through a brutal 1-5 road trip to Atlanta and New York that included blown saves, rain delays, rainouts and other assorted calamities. All of that leaves this team in a prolonged funk unlike any they've experienced in a very long time. The Nats have lost 27 of their last 37 games. The only worse stretch in club history came near the end of the 2009 season, the last time this franchise lost 100 games. That's how bad things have...
Temperature check two weeks after trade deadline
Temperature check two weeks after trade deadline
Bobby Blanco
Nationals
Two weeks ago today, the Nationals completed six franchise-altering trades, admitting this season was a lost cause. They were able to move eight players (seven on expiring contracts) to net 12 prospects in return. Ten of those 12 are already in MLBPipeline.com's ranking of the top 30 Nats prospects. Six of those 12 are in the top 16. And three of those six are in the top 10, including Nos. 1 and 2, Keibert Ruiz and Josiah Gray (both acquired in the Max Scherzer-Trea Turner deal with the...
Scout on Mateo: "He's still young and he's got a lot of tools"
Scout on Mateo: "He's still young and he's got a lot of tools"
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Middle infielders Richie Martin and Jorge Mateo have experience playing the outfield. Mateo has made more starts and appearances in center than in any other position in the majors. Will the Orioles play them in the outfield this year? While it's possible late in the summer or under special circumstances - like Mateo serving as a defensive replacement - manager Brandon Hyde wants to take an extended look at them in the infield. There are no immediate plans to switch their roles. Martin's...
Trey Mancini on Chris Davis and other O's notes
Trey Mancini on Chris Davis and other O's notes
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Trey Mancini had been teammates with Chris Davis for a long stretch. Mancini came up for the end of the 2016 season, was active that year for the American League wild card game and had been teammates with Davis since then. After the Orioles lost to Detroit on Thursday, Mancini talked about Davis announcing his retirement earlier in the day. "I was sad," Mancini said during a postgame Zoom interview. "You know, Chris, I've been playing with him for a long time and I've known him for quite a...
Means allows three homers, Tigers finish sweep (updated)
Means allows three homers, Tigers finish sweep (updated)
Steve Melewski
Orioles
With ace lefty John Means on the mound today, the Orioles certainly felt like they had a good shot to end a losing streak. And Detroit's Miguel Cabrera, sitting on 499 homers, sat out, waiting to play his next game at home on Friday. But the Detroit Tigers didn't need any longballs from Cabrera today. They hit three off Means without him, building an early 5-2 lead and went on to beat the Orioles 6-4 on a sweltering afternoon at Camden Yards. The Orioles (38-75) capped a homestand by going...
Nats rally late, but suffer sweep against Mets (updated)
Nats rally late, but suffer sweep against Mets (updated)
Bobby Blanco
Nationals
Nationals manager Davey Martinez spent his morning Zoom session with reporters detailing his pitching plans for today's doubleheader against the Mets. After a suspended game on Tuesday and last night's postponement, the mound plans had been thrown into a state of flux. Of course, like much of this season, nothing really ever goes according to plan for the Nationals. But today, the pitching plan held up: Sean Nolin and three relievers got through the first game and Erick Fedde got through four...
Hyde on Davis' retirement and Wells' return
Hyde on Davis' retirement and Wells' return
Steve Melewski
Orioles
As he sat in the dugout for his pregame interview today, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was asked about the retirement of first baseman Chris Davis. Hyde managed Davis for 105 games in the 2019 season and 16 games last season. "I want whatever is best for Chris and Chris' family," Hyde said. "We traded texts this morning. We've stayed in touch this season. Always got along really well with him, really like him. He's done so many great things for this organization, the community here, so...
Game 115 lineups: Nats at Mets
Game 115 lineups: Nats at Mets
Bobby Blanco
Nationals
And we're back. Seven innings down, seven more to go before the Nationals can finally get out of New York and return home after a long week. Erick Fedde brings a 4-8 record and 5.15 ERA to his late-afternoon start. The last time Fedde faced the Mets, on June 18, he pitched seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball with six strikeouts to bring his season ERA to 3.33. Over the eight starts since, the right-hander is 0-4 with a 7.75 ERA. In two starts against the Mets this season, Fedde has only...
Nats go quietly in opening loss to Mets (updated)
Nats go quietly in opening loss to Mets (updated)
Bobby Blanco
Nationals
The recipe for success for the Nationals the rest of the way this season is going to be one of two things: keep the score close, take a late lead and hope to hold on, or explode for a lot of runs early and win in a blowout. Neither of those scenarios took place in today's 4-1 doubleheader opening loss to the Mets. Let's start with keeping the score close. The Nationals did get a gutsy effort from Sean Nolin in his first major league appearance since 2015. But the left-hander served up a...
Orioles and Tigers lineups
Orioles and Tigers lineups
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles received another high-leverage reliever this afternoon with Rule 5 pick Tyler Wells' reinstatement from the 10-day injured list. Wells replaces Isaac Mattson, who was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after last night's 5-2 loss to the Tigers. Wells has been on the IL with tendinitis in his right wrist. Anthony Santander is the cleanup hitter again today. He's homered in three consecutive games for the first time in his career, totaling four in that stretch. Cedric Mullins has an...