PITTSBURGH – The weather has taken a major turn for the worse here over the last 24 hours. It’s been cold and rainy all day, miserable weather for baseball. The good news, however, is that it’s supposed to clear out before first pitch tonight. It’s still not going to be very pleasant conditions when the Nationals and Pirates play the third game of their four-game series, but they should be able to play.

It’ll be Josh Rogers on the mound for the Nats, making his second start and hoping to pick up right where he left off in Atlanta on Monday night, when he held the Braves to one run and two hits in 5 1/3 innings. Rogers’ future in the rotation isn’t 100 percent certain beyond this, but you have to think a halfway decent start tonight buys him more time here regardless.

Bryse Wilson starts for the Pirates. The 24-year-old right-hander previously pitched for the Braves, so several of the Nats regulars have a little bit of experience against him. Maikel Franco is 2-for-3 with a homer and a walk against Wilson. Lane Thomas is 1-for-3 with a homer. César Hernández, who will be looking to reach base to lead off the game for the sixth consecutive day, is 1-for-6 with a triple off Wilson.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Where: PNC Park
Gametime: 6:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, MLB.com
Weather: Rain ending, 52 degrees, wind 9 mph out to left field

NATIONALS
2B César Hernández
RF Juan Soto
DH Nelson Cruz
1B Josh Bell
C Keibert Ruiz
3B Maikel Franco
LF Lane Thomas
SS Alcides Escobar
CF Victor Robles

The Washington Nationals recalled outfielder Donovan Casey from Triple-A Rochester and placed outfielder Dee Strange-Gordon on the Injured List on Friday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Casey, 26, hit .250 with two doubles, two triples, one homer, six RBI, a walk and four runs scored in six games for Triple-A Rochester prior to being recalled. He hit safely in four of the six games, and five of his six hits this season have gone for extra bases. 

Washington’s Minor League Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, Casey was acquired by the Nationals from the Los Angeles Dodgers along with right-handed pitcher Josiah Gray, right-handed pitcher Gerardo Carrillo and catcher Keibert Ruiz in exchange for right-handed pitcher Max Scherzer and shortstop Trea Turner on July 30th, 2021. Casey is considered the No. 17 prospect and the “Best Athlete” in Washington’s Minor League system, per Baseball America. He was originally selected in the 20^th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Boston College.

Strange-Gordon, 33, appeared in four games for the Nationals, prior to being placed on the Injured List.

It was a cloudy day at Camden Yards, but the ballpark was still looking beautiful today as workers were putting the final touches on the new configuration in left field.

It’s going to take quite a drive to hit the ball out in an area where once players hit what some would call “Camden Yards specials,” balls hit in the air that would be outs in most parks, but not in Baltimore.

The Orioles are intending for the park to play more fairly now. Since 1992, more homers have been hit in Baltimore than any other park, and nine of the other current major league venues have been around that entire time. More homers were hit at Camden Yards in the last 20 seasons, and 18 of the parks now in use have existed in that span.

As the final panels on the padded wall were going up today, the ballpark looked very ready for a game, and there will be one there on Monday for the home opener against Milwaukee.

“They are just putting the finishing touches on it and certainly it will be ready for our home opener against Milwaukee,” said Jennifer Grondahl, Baltimore Orioles senior vice president of communications and community development. “I think I’ve heard our players talking about it a little bit and they seem excited. The pitchers are certainly excited.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Wise men say that only fools rush in, you should always expect the unexpected in spring training, don’t fall in love with a dreamer or exhibition numbers, and don’t underwrite an injury.

Also, beware of ballpark fish.

The Orioles’ 2022 camp gave us a lot to digest in a short period of time. Some storylines stretched until the end. Others were destroyed within hours and days.

I wondered about the rotation behind John Means and Jordan Lyles. So did the Orioles, who only confirmed Tyler Wells as a tandem starter until yesterday’s revelation that local product Bruce Zimmermann. would get the ball for the April 11 home opener.

The fifth spot remains as much a mystery as that fish.