The Nationals, no matter who remains on their ever-changing roster, continue to play well enough to keep themselves in every game. Give them that. Whether the organization's goal remains winning in 2021 or not, the players who still comprise the 26-man roster are doing everything in their limited power to try to pull it off. They managed to take two of three from the equally rebuilding Cubs over the weekend, and though they've now lost two in a row to the semi-contending Phillies, they had a...

The Nationals optioned Wander Suero to Triple-A Rochester this afternoon, demoting the struggling reliever in hopes of getting him straightened out after a series of late-inning meltdowns that culminated with a blown save Monday night. Suero was one of two players removed from the active roster prior to tonight's game, joining catcher René Rivera, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow contusion. To fill those spots, the Nationals called up just-acquired catcher Riley...

The Orioles are back in the Bronx tonight for the second of a three-game series with the New York Yankees. They won 7-1 last night, getting four solo homers and a strong outing from Jorge López. They improved to 38-67 overall, to 3-2 on this road trip and to 5-6 this season against the Yankees, including a 5-4 mark in the last nine games. The Orioles have won three of four and seven of their past 10 games. They are 10-6 since the All-Star break. The Orioles have hit 22 homers since the break...

Cedric Mullins brings an 11-game hitting streak into tonight's game against the Yankees in the Bronx. Mullins is 17-for-44 (.386) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, four walks and four stolen bases during his streak. Last night marked his team-leading 33rd multi-hit game of the season. He's batting .318 (14-for-44) with two doubles, four home runs, five RBIs, three walks, four stolen bases and eight runs scored in 11 games against the Yankees this season. Left-hander Nestor Cortes...

Games like last night, when a recently acquired prospect makes his debut, are about the future. Games like tonight, when a struggling veteran takes the mound yet again, are about something else. Patrick Corbin is part of the Nationals' future, but that's only because his contract dictates it. He's signed for three more seasons and still owed $82 million. He's not going anywhere. So the Nats need Corbin to figure out how to be an effective pitcher again, something he hasn't been since the...

The Washington Nationals recalled catcher Riley Adams and selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Javy Guerra from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday. Additionally, the Nationals placed catcher René Rivera on the 10-day Injured List (retroactive to Aug. 2) with a right elbow contusion and optioned right-handed pitcher Wander Suero to Triple-A Rochester. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Adams, 25, was acquired by the Washington...

Mason Thompson had three days to think about his Nationals debut, time to sit in the bullpen and observe, time to get to know everyone, time to wonder how and when he would be called upon to take the mound for the first time. The time finally came in the top of the sixth Monday night, in a game with the Phillies that was tied 1-1 at the time. And based on what the Nationals saw from the 6-foot-7 reliever they acquired from the Padres at the trade deadline for Daniel Hudson, they couldn't have...

With four months of baseball basically in the books and two months to go, the Orioles still have a lot of American League East games left to play. They began a tough stretch in the schedule last night in terms of AL East opponents with a 7-1 win in the Bronx. It was an impressive start to this series and this stretch of games. Through the end of the series in Detroit, the Orioles had played half of their AL East games for the 2021 season, with half still to play. They had played 38 with 38...

There are going to be more nights like this at Nationals Park the rest of the season, nights that include legitimate reason for optimism and then legitimate reason for anguish. It's up to everyone - the players, the coaches, the front office, the fans - to decide what to care most about. On this unseasonably cool August Monday night, the optimists could look at Josiah Gray's Nationals debut and be thrilled with the young right-hander's five innings of one-run ball and long-term...

An organization that's emphasizing drafting and developing, talent infusion and patience isn't going to find many soft spots in its major league schedule. The challenges just get more daunting for stretches, especially in the American League East. The heights from the tightrope seem to reach the clouds. The falls that much harder. The Orioles weren't the team crashing to the ground tonight. Jorge López went from rattled early to unhittable through the fifth inning, his run support...