Reliever Andrew Kittredge is on the verge of finally making his Orioles debut.

The Orioles reinstated Kittredge from the 15-day injured list this morning and optioned Chayce McDermott to Triple-A Norfolk.

Kittredge made only one appearance in spring training before undergoing surgery to repair cartilage in his left knee. He signed for $10 million over the winter.

McDermott allowed three runs and walked five batters in 4 2/3 innings in his third career major league appearance and was optioned after the game.

The bullpen has an extra reliever today as the Orioles try to snap an eight-game losing streak and avoid a third consecutive sweep. They’ve fallen 17 games below .500.

It was bound to get better at some point. Really, how couldn’t it?

As much as the Nationals bullpen struggled through the season’s first month-plus, it was hard to believe that group could sustain such a low level of performance over the long haul. Through the season’s first 39 games, this relief corps owned a collective 7.29 ERA, worst in the majors and a number that would be historically bad over a full 162-game slate.

Slowly but surely, though, things are stabilizing. The Nats aren’t necessarily getting dominant bullpen work now, but they’re certainly getting quality work from that group: Over their last 10 games, relievers have combined for a 3.12 ERA. That’s eighth-best in the majors during this span.

“I think we’re just getting into the groove of the season a little bit,” right-hander Cole Henry said. “Everybody’s trying to get out there and get outs and do what’s best for this team: Get wins and keep stacking them.”

That’s exactly what has been happening of late. The Nationals have won four in a row, and during Tuesday’s 5-3 victory over the Braves the bullpen played a significant role. Henry, Jose A. Ferrer, Jorge López and Kyle Finnegan collectively tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings, that quartet retiring 11 of the 12 batters it faced to close out the game with little margin for error.

The Orioles lost Game 2 of last Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Twins after former manager Brandon Hyde handed Yennier Cano the ball in the eighth inning and watched him allow three runs. This was an automatic and understandable move, using the primary and rested set-up man to protect a 6-5 lead before passing it on to closer Félix Bautista.

The critics came after Hyde again for no good reason. It was the right decision, it blew up like so many others in 2025, and Cano’s ERA was inflated from 2.70 to 4.40.

Interim manager Tony Mansolino summoned Cano in the eighth inning Monday night with the score tied in Milwaukee. Cano got the first two outs, but a full-count walk and stolen base preceded William Contreras’ ground ball single to give the Brewers a 5-4 win.

First base was open, but the Orioles pitched to Contreras, who finished with four hits.

“We have a ton of faith in Yenni,” Mansolino said. “Yenni’s one of our guys. We really like Yenni, really in any situation. So we bet on our guy, it didn’t work out. We’ll do it again next time.”

MILWAUKEE – The story of the O’s first two games in Milwaukee has felt eerily similar. 

The starting pitching didn’t take them out of it but wasn’t stellar, the bullpen was adequate but not great, and some late life from the offense wasn’t enough to push Baltimore ahead. 

Any way you slice it, it added up to the Orioles’ eighth consecutive loss, this time 5-2. The Orioles haven’t won a series against the Brewers since 2003. 

The first turn around the order was incredibly uneventful for both teams. If you like pitching and defense, the first 18 plate appearances were right up your alley. Three walks between both teams, with the most excitement coming in a Sal Frelick fly out to the warning track. 

Batter No. 18 was a Chayce McDermott three-pitch strikeout of Joey Ortiz. It was the 19th batter that presented the first sign of trouble. 

Have the Nationals suddenly found a new formula for winning baseball: Jumping out to an early lead against the opposing starter, then riding the strength of their suddenly improved bullpen to close out a narrow victory?

It’s certainly not the way the Nats tried to win games through most of the season’s first six weeks. But it’s sure working to perfection now, the latest – and perhaps most impressive – example coming tonight during a 5-3 triumph over the Braves.

Thanks to four early runs plated off the intimidating Spencer Strider, a workmanlike start out of Mitchell Parker and then 3 2/3 scoreless innings from their relievers, the Nationals won their fourth straight in impressive fashion.

"We talk so much about trying to beat up the starter and score first, and it's come to fruition the last couple days," manager Davey Martinez said. "It's been great. Our bullpen comes in with a little cushion; it's good for them, too. The boys are really playing well."

The only downside: Dylan Crews departed after the fifth inning, having felt something in his lower back/left side on a check-swing. The rookie center fielder, who homered for the second consecutive game, admitted he has been dealing with soreness in that area for the last week, since making a diving play in Atlanta, and it reached a point where he couldn't continue tonight.

Despite some initial hopes he’d be ready to return tonight, Jacob Young won’t be in the lineup for the Nationals’ series opener against the Braves.

Davey Martinez had penciled Young into his lineup, three days after the center fielder slammed into the wall at Camden Yards trying to make a catch and injured his left shoulder. But that was contingent upon Young making it through afternoon workouts with no issues, and it turns out there was one issue.

“He said he couldn’t finish his swing,” Martinez said. “We’ll give him another day, see how he does. But he can do everything else.”

Young tried to take swings in the cage this afternoon but still felt his shoulder on his follow-through, unable to fully extend his left arm as far as he would need to after making contact. While that’s enough of a problem to keep him from playing tonight, the Nats don’t believe it’s significant enough to have any longer-term concerns.

“I think he’ll be OK,” Martinez said. “He said he’s way better today than he was yesterday and the day before. So we’ll give him a day, see how he feels.”

MILWAUKEE – Mike Elias isn’t a stranger to addressing the media in the midst of a losing season. 

Since taking the reins of the O’s front office in November 2018, Elias oversaw tough years in the win and loss columns from 2019 to 2021. 

The caveat there, of course, is that Baltimore was rebuilding. Soon, players like Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg and more would join the fold to propel the Orioles to a 100-win season and division title, and back-to-back postseason appearances. 

A stranger to this type of address? No. Just a bit unfamiliar. 

His next one just came much sooner than anyone expected. 

The Orioles released Kyle Gibson this afternoon after he cleared waivers. He was designated for assignment on Sunday.

The outcome was predictable with Gibson paid $5.25 million this year.

The door could remain ajar for Gibson’s return to the organization, perhaps agreeing to another deal that allows for the veteran to pitch in the minors in a second attempted ramp-up.

Gibson signed his contract on March 21 and lasted only four starts, compiling a 16.78 ERA and 2.919 WHIP. He allowed 23 runs and 29 hits in 12 1/3 innings, with seven walks and 10 strikeouts.

Ramón Laureano, who’s 11 for his last 19, remains the cleanup hitter tonight. Heston Kjerstad is in left field and batting eighth.

The Nationals couldn’t have asked for a better weekend in Baltimore, where they swept the fading Orioles thanks to a long-awaited offensive surge. Now, can they keep it going back at home against the Braves?

In a rematch of last week’s series in Atlanta, the Nationals know they need to do more offensively, especially against the opposing starters. And they’ve got to face a doozy of one tonight in Spencer Strider. The young ace of the Braves staff made his return from Tommy John surgery last month, only to strain his hamstring after one start. Now he returns again, his arm fully healthy and ready to unleash his impressive arsenal. Will he be rusty? Will he be limited? Those could be key questions tonight.

Mitchell Parker faces the Braves for the second time in a week, looking for better results this time around. The lefty gave up four runs in 4 2/3 innings at Truist Park, though in a more positive development he issued only two walks while striking out six.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. ATLANTA BRAVES
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 70 degrees, wind 5 mph in from right field

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
1B Nathaniel Lowe
C Keibert Ruiz
2B Luis García Jr.
DH Josh Bell
RF Alex Call
3B José Tena
CF Dylan Crews

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Recalled RHP Chayce McDermott from Triple-A Norfolk.
• Optioned RHP Kade Strowd to Triple-A Norfolk.
• Released RHP Kyle Gibson.

For two days over the weekend, the Nationals looked like the kind of offensive club Davey Martinez envisioned all along.

They jumped on opposing starters, taking early leads and then expanding them. They delivered singles and doubles with runners in scoring position. They blasted multiple home runs. They even drew a few walks.

And because of all that, they twice led the Orioles by seven runs before the second inning came to an end, setting them on course to win both games with relative ease and complete a three-game sweep at Camden Yards.

So, what was the difference?

“We were aggressive in the zone,” Martinez said. “We took some pitches. We worked good counts. And when we got the ball in the zone, we swung the bats really well.”

The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) today announced that beginning later this month, it will air select Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals minor league affiliate games live across MASN, MASN2, and MASN+. 

“We are excited to announce the addition of these minor league games, which will allow both Nationals and Orioles fans to see the franchises’ stars of tomorrow on MASN today and further connect them to their teams,” said GREG BADER, MASN Executive Vice President and General Manager.

In April, MASN announced the launch of MASN+, a direct-to-consumer streaming option allowing in-market fans the option to watch Orioles and Nationals baseball with no blackouts and no cable or satellite subscription. MASN+ subscribers get all MASN programming, including the affiliate games. Fans can subscribe at MASNSports.com.

The Orioles and Nationals farm systems each boast multiple players on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list including No. 16 Samuel Basallo (BAL), No. 17 Coby Mayo (BAL), No. 62 Travis Sykora (WSH), No. 66 Jarlin Susana (WSH), and No. 95 Brady House (WSH).

A full schedule of affiliate games airing on MASN can be found below.

MILWAUKEE – The first two innings haven’t been kind to the Orioles in the Tony Mansolino era. Late deficits haven’t been kind to Baltimore all season. 

In the first game of their new series against the Brewers, the Orioles beat both trends. But they couldn’t beat the Brewers, falling 5-4 in Game 1. 

Yesterday, the ever-reliable Zach Eflin allowed seven earned runs in his first two frames against the Nationals. On Saturday, Kyle Gibson and Charlie Morton combined to do the same. 

The Orioles, on the other hand, found their earliest runs of those two games in the fifth inning. 

Tonight’s deficit of 3-1 after two innings wasn’t quite 7-0, but it still wasn’t the start the Orioles were looking for.

MILWAUKEE – It’s been quite the 72 hours in Birdland.

Tony Mansolino found out that he would be the Orioles' interim manager on Saturday morning. Without much time to settle and adjust, Baltimore had two afternoon games against the visiting Nationals. 

“Being totally honest, just an absolute ton of anxiety Saturday and Sunday,” Mansolino said today. “Didn’t sleep a whole lot. Just going through the information and getting my mind prepared for what the job is. I slept last night, which was a really nice feeling waking up today.” 

Now the Orioles find themselves as visitors in Milwaukee for a three-game series, the first in which Mansolino has found himself at the helm from the jump. 

“Last night, getting on the plane, I pulled out the advanced binder, and I was able to just start looking at what’s going on in terms of the strategy of the game," he said. "I was able to pull out my computer and start looking at lineups and players and things that would help us get ready for the next day. I think that exercise, just kind of strangely, settled me down.”

As much as CJ Abrams’ leadoff homer on the first pitch of Sunday’s game in Baltimore set the tone for the Nationals, his dazzling defensive gem to set in motion a 6-4-3 double play that ended the 10-4 victory might actually have been more spectacular.

Abrams ranged far to his left to snag Ryan Mountcastle’s grounder up the middle, then flipped the ball directly from his glove to Luis Garcia Jr., who in one motion stepped on second base and threw across his body to first to complete the web gem.

“That double play is how me and Luis do it in practice. It’s a lot of fun,” Abrams said afterward, perhaps beaming even more than he was when discussing the two home runs he hit during the game. “We were glad to end it that way.”

Maybe there’s some symbolism to take away from it all. As fantastic as he was at the start of Sunday’s game, Abrams was more proud of what he did to end it. It’s a feeling he’d like to experience again this fall.

One year ago, Abrams was putting together a brilliant first half performance that earned him the first All-Star selection of his career. He was on top of the world, the young face of the rebuilding Nationals and one of the best shortstops in baseball.

BALTIMORE – The Nationals arrived here late Thursday night following a frustrating series in Atlanta following a frustrating homestand against the Guardians and Cardinals. A season that felt promising not long ago now felt like it was one more bad series from slipping away.

And then something clicked when they walked into Camden Yards on Friday. Maybe it was the fact they were facing an Orioles team whose season really has slipped away, leading to the dismissal of their manager. Maybe it was something the Nats did themselves, especially at the plate.

Whatever the case, it was a welcome development. Today’s 10-4 victory, which for the second straight day featured an early seven-run explosion, was exactly what the Nationals needed, exactly when they needed it.

At 21-27, they’ve still got plenty of work to do. But if they can come anywhere close to duplicating their performance from this weekend’s three-game sweep, things may just work out in the long run after all.

"It's awesome that we bounced back like that," outfielder Dylan Crews said. "Obviously, you don't want things to go like they did in Atlanta, or even before that. But we're going to go out here and flip the page, and that's what we did. We're going to use this as momentum going forward."

BALTIMORE – He’s not in today’s lineup, but Jacob Young appears to be fine after a scary collision with the center field wall Saturday afternoon that left him on the ground in pain for several minutes.

Young found out after the game X-rays on his left shoulder were negative, and the Nationals outfielder also passed concussion tests. He’s sore, but he should be available to come off the bench this afternoon if his team needs him.

“It’s awesome,” manager Davey Martinez said. “I went back and looked at it: He hit the wall hard. I was kind of concerned he might have hurt his shoulder, or anything, or even come up with a concussion. But he’s a tough kid, as we all know, and he feels good.”

Young was trying to track down Ramón Laureano’s seventh-inning drive to deep center when he slammed into the Camden Yards wall and fell to the ground as Laureano raced into second base with an RBI double. He lay on the ground for several minutes as Martinez and director of athletic training Paul Lessard went to check on him. After a lengthy conversation, he was able to get up to his feet and walk off the field under his own power.

“It just knocked the air out of me when it first happened,” Young said. “That was my initial reaction: You just can’t breathe. It’s a scary feeling.”

BALTIMORE – For the first time since 2018, the Nationals have won the Battle of the Beltways. Now they have a chance to sweep their first series at Camden Yards since that same 2018 season if they can pull off another victory in this afternoon’s finale.

The Nats finally scored early and often against an opposing starter Saturday, knocking Kyle Gibson out in the top of the first with six runs. The challenge is a bit tougher today in Zach Eflin, who has yet to give up more than three runs in any of his four starts this season, even with an IL stint mixed in there.

Michael Soroka also missed time on the IL, and today the right-hander makes only his fourth start of the year. He’s looked very good at times but has been done in by a couple of bad innings that have inflated his pitch count. The Nationals will be hoping today’s the day he extends himself through the sixth inning and moves closer to the 100-pitch mark after topping out at 81 last time out.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Where: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Mostly sunny, 78 degrees, wind 17 mph out to right field

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
1B Nathaniel Lowe
C Keibert Ruiz
2B Luis García Jr.
DH Josh Bell
RF Alex Call
3B José Tena
CF Dylan Crews

BALTIMORE – Rarely have the Nationals had the opportunity to beat a team when it’s down. And given his close friendship with now former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, Davey Martinez probably took little pleasure in rubbing salt in Baltimore’s wounds this afternoon.

But there was a game to play regardless, and the Nats made the most of the opportunity presented to them, bursting out of the gates to score six quick runs in the top of the first, take a big lead early and cruise to a 10-6 victory at Camden Yards that only looked moderately close because of a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth against Zach Brzykcy.

Behind their first big offensive showing against an opposing starter in more than a week, and behind a no-nonsense start from Jake Irvin, the Nationals enjoyed a rare lopsided win and put themselves in position to try to sweep the struggling Orioles in Sunday’s series finale.

"Obviously, we're taking one win at a time, but the vibes are good right now," designated hitter Josh Bell said. "We have to attack starters. We have to get into their bullpen early. When we do that, good things happen. Hopefully, this is a turn in the right direction."

The lone negative development on this 84-degree late afternoon? Jacob Young injured his left shoulder slamming into the center field wall trying to make a difficult catch in the bottom of the seventh and had to depart the game.

BALTIMORE – Davey Martinez has no shortage of close contacts in baseball, having played with, coached with and ultimately managed with countless figures over the last four decades. Brandon Hyde, though, is high on Martinez’s list of close friends in the game, the two having worked together on the Cubs’ coaching staff for three seasons before eventually competing against each other for seven seasons as managers of the Nationals and Orioles.

So while today’s news of a managerial change in Baltimore obviously affected Hyde most of all, it also hit Martinez hard, compounded by the fact it occurred hours after the Nats defeated the Orioles in dramatic fashion.

“It’s tough,” Martinez said. “Brandon and I are close. I love the guy. We all know what we sign up for when we take this job. It really just stinks. He’s a good man. I know he’ll land on his feet. I wish him all the best, but it’s a tough gig.”

Martinez first met Hyde following the 2013 season, when the latter was working in the Cubs front office and the former interviewed for their open managerial position. They immediately hit it off, and even though Martinez lost the job at that point to Rick Renteria, one year later he was back in Chicago as bench coach for newly hired manager Joe Maddon, who also appointed Hyde as his first base coach.

That arrangement remained in place for three seasons, with the trio playing a big role in the Cubs’ historic World Series run in 2016. And when the Nationals hired Martinez after the 2017 season, Hyde moved into his role as Maddon’s bench coach, a high-profile position that helped him land the Orioles’ managerial gig one year later.