PHILADELPHIA – The Orioles reinstated left-hander Cade Povich from the injured list today and he gets the ball to start a three-game series against the Phillies.

That wasn’t the only move.

Infielder/outfielder Vidal Bruján was activated and he’s wearing No. 40. The Orioles claimed him yesterday.

The counter moves were optioning reliever Houston Roth and outfielder Jordyn Adams. Roth didn’t make his major league debut before departing.

Povich has a 5.15 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 13 games (12 starts). His only relief appearance came on June 15, with 3 2/3 scoreless innings before going on the IL with left hip inflammation.

The Nationals thought they were going to be trying to avoid not only a series sweep but a season sweep at the hands of the Brewers this afternoon by facing rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski. Turns out they won’t be facing Misiorowski, who was just placed on the 15-day injured list with a left tibia contusion (he was struck in the leg by a comebacker in his last outing). But before you get too excited, the replacement for The Miz is Logan Henderson, another rookie right-hander who in his first four career starts earlier this season went 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA, 29 strikeouts and only six walks. (Amazing what a difference organizational pitching depth can make, huh?)

So, the Nats still have their work cut out for them to produce offense today. They were held to two hits by Brandon Woodruff and the Brewers bullpen during Saturday’s 8-2 loss. That’s obviously not going to cut it today.

On the bright side, Brad Lord gets the ball for the home team, and that’s something to look forward to. The rookie right-hander has looked really good in his first two starts since returning from the bullpen a few weeks ago, allowing two runs over 9 1/3 innings (and throwing only 109 pitches in the process). He’ll be trying to build up to about 70-75 pitches today, so that could allow him to provide some length as well for a Nationals staff that could use it.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Mostly sunny, 81 degrees, wind 7 mph in from right field

BREWERS
2B Brice Turang
C William Contreras
1B Andrew Vaughn
DH Christian Yelich
LF Isaac Collins
CF Blake Perkins
3B Anthony Seigler
RF Brandon Lockridge
SS Joey Ortiz

The Nationals offense waited too long to get going last night against the Brewers, scoring seven of their eight runs over the last four innings. But it doesn’t matter when the offense produces if the Nats don’t get better pitching.

Mitchell Parker gave up eight runs on 12 hits in four-plus innings Friday night, as four relievers joined him in combining to surrender 16 runs and a club-record 25 hits. They really only can improve from there.

Jake Irvin will be tasked with leading the charge. The right-hander is 8-5 with a 4.69 ERA and 1.295 WHIP in 22 starts. And he’s coming off an impressive outing in his hometown against the Twins, in which he tossed seven strong innings of two-run ball. Irvin faced the Brew Crew in Milwaukee in the last game before the All-Star break, giving up three unearned runs with five strikeouts in five frames.

Opposing him is Brandon Woodruff, the veteran right-hander who also faced the Nats right before the break. The 32-year-old is 2-0 with a 2.01 ERA and 0.716 WHIP in his four starts since returning from injury. When he faced Washington three weeks ago, he gave up two solo home runs to rookies Daylen Lile and Brady House but struck out 10 in 4 ⅓ innings.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 4:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, DC 87.7 (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 78 degrees, wind 8 mph in from right field

The Nationals who take the field tonight against the Brewers are going to look quite different from the Nationals who last took the field here more than a week ago. Six players were traded prior to the July 31 deadline, including arguably their three most reliable relievers. What remains is going to have to exceed expectations over the season’s final two months to avoid a complete collapse.

And the initial challenge is about as tough as it’s going to get, with the best-in-baseball Brewers in town this weekend. The Nats already were swept earlier this month in Milwaukee. They’ll hope for better results this time around, with Mitchell Parker on the mound for the series opener. Parker was roughed up by the Brewers last time, giving up seven runs (six of them coming in the third inning alone).

A Nationals lineup that actually remains intact – only bench players Amed Rosario and Alex Call wound up getting dealt – will try to get something going against Milwaukee starter Jose Quintana. The veteran lefty is doing what he always does, owner of a 3.50 ERA and 1.336 WHIP in 15 starts to date. He’s not flashy, but he gets the job done.

Reminder: Tonight’s game is only on Apple TV+. It’ll be Alex Faust, Ryan Spilborghs and Tricia Whitaker on the call.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: Apple TV+
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Cloudy, 73 degrees, wind 8 mph in from center field

HOUSTON – We have reached the final day of this road trip and the final game before the trade deadline. As things currently stand, the Nationals have made only one move this week, sending Amed Rosario to the Yankees after Saturday night’s game in Minnesota. Be prepared for a lot more activity between now and 6 p.m. Thursday.

In the meantime, there’s a game to be played this afternoon against the Astros, and the Nats have a chance to win their third straight series if they can beat the Astros. They’ve got their ace on the mound for what should be a fascinating start. Is this MacKenzie Gore’s final outing before a trade? How will Miguel Cairo manage this start with that in mind, pulling him early to avoid risk of injury or struggles or letting him go to give everything he’s got? Where is Gore’s mind right now as he prepares to take the mound?

A Nationals lineup that has struck out a whopping 33 times through the first two games of this series will look to make more contact today against Houston starter Ryan Gusto. The 26-year-old rookie has bounced back and forth between the rotation and bullpen, making 13 starts and 10 relief appearances and compiling a 5.18 ERA and 1.475 WHIP. He was roughed up by the Athletics last time out to the tune of eight runs in only 3 1/3 innings.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Daikin Park
Gametime: 2:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
2B Luis García Jr.
DH Josh Bell
1B Nathaniel Lowe
3B Paul DeJong
RF Daylen Lile
C Drew Millas
CF Jacob Young

HOUSTON – The Nationals (gulp) are currently on a winning streak. Three in a row. The first time they’ve done that since that trip to Seattle and Arizona two months ago. (Or maybe it was a lifetime ago.) And tonight they’ll look to make it four in a row against an Astros club that’s hanging onto first place in the American League West but is currently teetering, having lost five games in a row (the first four to the Athletics).

This very well may be Michael Soroka’s final start for the Nats. The 27-year-old right-hander has proven to be a solid addition to the team, his 4.85 ERA not really in concert with how well he’s pitched (1.128 WHIP, 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings). The right-hander has been good of late, with only four runs allowed over his last 14 2/3 innings. You have to think some team out there is willing to make Mike DeBartolo a reasonable offer for him before Thursday’s trade deadline, but it would help if he pitches well again tonight.

A Nationals lineup that scored two runs and won Monday night despite striking out 19 times faces a bit less imposing opposing starter than Framber Valdez in Jason Alexander. The 32-year-old right-hander (who is NOT the actor who played George Costanza on "Seinfeld") makes only his third big league start of the season, only his 14th career start, having been roughed up by the A’s last time out to the tune of five runs and 11 hits in six innings. Maybe he’d be better off pursuing his other dream of pretending to be an architect …

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Daikin Park
Gametime: 8:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
2B Luis García Jr.
DH Josh Bell
1B Nathaniel Lowe
3B Brady House
RF Daylen Lile
C Riley Adams
CF Jacob Young

Colin Selby became the 27^th different Orioles player to go on the injured list, tossing a scoreless inning last night and being sidelined today with a left hamstring strain. Selby will undergo an MRI this morning.

Yaramil Hiraldo was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk after the Orioles optioned him yesterday.

The Orioles are playing a day-night doubleheader as a makeup for an April 11 postponement. Charlie Morton is starting Game 1 this afternoon, and Brandon Young will start or work in bulk relief in Game 2 after being summoned as the 27^th man.

Former Orioles minor league left-hander Easton Lucas is starting Game 1 for Toronto, and left-hander Eric Lauer is starting Game 2.

Morton could be making his last start with the Orioles, with the trade deadline 6 p.m. Thursday. He allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings in Cleveland after surrendering seven over 5 1/3 in Tampa.

HOUSTON – Hello from Daikin Park in downtown Houston. No, it’s no longer Minute Maid Park. The memories of October 2019 from this place, however, remain, regardless of the stadium’s name.

The Nationals kick off the second leg of their road trip tonight with the opener of a three-game series against the Astros. They just took two of three from the Twins in Minnesota, this after taking two of three from the Reds in D.C. Could they actually pull off three straight series victories? This one should be a stiffer challenge than the last two, especially with Astros ace Framber Valdez on the mound tonight.

Given that tough matchup against one of the best lefties in the league, Miguel Cairo has a very different looking lineup for this one. Most notably, James Wood is not playing for only the second time in his major league career. Wood has been in a significant slump (7-for-64, eight walks, 32 strikeouts over his last 17 games) so you can understand why Cairo may believe it’s a good time to give the young star a physical and mental breather.

Brad Lord, meanwhile, makes his second start since rejoining the rotation. After tossing four innings of one-run ball against Cincinnati, the rookie right-hander should be good to build up to a heavier workload. He threw 50 pitches in that game, so perhaps 65 or so tonight if all goes well?

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Daikin Park
Gametime: 8:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Indoors

MINNEAPOLIS – It turned out to be an eventful Saturday night for the Nationals. They beat the Twins, 9-3, snapping out of their two-game offensive funk in a big way. Jacob Young had to depart early after getting hit on his right index finger while trying to bunt, and Alex Call came off the bench to drive in three runs in his place. Then the club traded Amed Rosario to the Yankees for a 26-year-old pitcher and an 18-year-old outfielder at night’s end.

What does today have in store? The Nats will have another shot at winning a series, and they’ll have Jake Irvin on the mound for what will be a very meaningful start for the right-hander. The Minnesota native has been looking forward to his first big league start at Target Field since the day the 2025 schedule was released last summer, and that day has finally arrived. He’s going to have a lot of family and friends in attendance. It’s up to him to control those emotions and go out and pitch well.

The Nationals lineup will be facing an opener in Cole Sands. The Twins right-hander shouldn’t go more than two innings, tops. It remains to be seen how Rocco Baldelli manages the rest of the game. With Rosario off to the Bronx and Young day-to-day with a finger contusion, the Nats have recalled infielder José Tena to give them some more depth for the time being.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MINNESOTA TWINS
Where: Target Field
Gametime: 2:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Sunny, 90 degrees, wind 12 mph out to left field

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
2B Luis García Jr.
DH Josh Bell
1B Nathaniel Lowe
CF Alex Call
RF Daylen Lile
3B Paul DeJong
C Riley Adams

MINNEAPOLIS – It’s a new day, and another opportunity for the Nationals to do something they haven’t done in either of their last two games: Score a run. Yes, they’ve been shut out twice in a row. They haven’t scored a run of any type since Riley Adams’ two-run single in the bottom of the sixth Tuesday night against the Reds. Even if they get on the board early tonight, it would snap a roughly 96-hour scoreless streak.

Miguel Cairo certainly needs more from the top two guys in his lineup. CJ Abrams is 1 for his last 21, with one walk and seven strikeouts. James Wood is 4 for his last 38, with five walks and 19 strikeouts. It’s tough for this team to be good offensively when its top two offensive players aren’t producing.

The Nationals will be facing an All-Star tonight in Joe Ryan, the 29-year-old right-hander who is 10-4 with a 2.63 ERA and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Ryan’s name has come up in trade rumors, so this could be a particularly big start for him leading up to Thursday’s leaguewide deadline.

Mitchell Parker gets the ball for the Nats, coming off a quality start against the Padres and having had a full week of rest, with MacKenzie Gore bumped up to start Friday night’s series opener here.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MINNESOTA TWINS
Where: Target Field
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Clear, 89 degrees, wind 9 mph out to left field

MINNEAPOLIS – Hello from Target Field, where they fly pennants honoring the 1924, 1925 and 1933 Washington Senators, just as they do at Nationals Park. I’ll let you all decide on your own which franchise you believe has the right to claim those titles, or perhaps you believe both do. It does make for a fun debate, though.

The Nationals are in town to face the Twins this weekend, hoping to build off their series win over the Reds. To get this one off on the right foot, they’ll need MacKenzie Gore to get himself back on track after his worst start of the season. Gore was roughed up by the Padres on Sunday to the tune of eight runs and eight hits in only 2 1/3 innings, his worst outing as a member of the Nats. A return to form would certainly be nice.

The lineup is facing an unknown opponent in Zebby Matthews, a 25-year-old right-hander with a career 6.53 ERA despite 11 strikeouts per nine innings. The key stat, it would appear: Opponents are batting a ridiculous .406 and slugging .531 off Matthews’ four-seam fastball, a pitch he throws 44 percent of the time. The Nationals typically are a good fastball-hitting team. You’d like to think this should be a favorable matchup for them.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MINNESOTA TWINS
Where: Target Field
Gametime: 8:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 84 degrees, wind 8 mph out to left field

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
2B Luis García Jr.
DH Josh Bell
1B Nathaniel Lowe
3B Brady House
RF Daylen Lile
C Riley Adams
CF Jacob Young

The Orioles are selecting infielder Jeremiah Jackson’s contract from Triple-A Norfolk and will be short one reliever after trading left-hander Gregory Soto to the Mets.

Jackson, 25, is batting a combined .311/.340/.538 with 30 doubles, 15 home runs and 41 RBIs in 83 games between Norfolk and Double-A Chesapeake. He’s never played in the majors.

Interim manager Tony Mansolino said he won't have an update on closer Félix Bautista (shoulder) until next week.

The Orioles return to Camden Yards for a six-game homestand that begins with three against the Rockies.

Gunnar Henderson is on the bench. He’s leading the Orioles in hits, doubles and triples for the second straight season. Brooks Robinson was the last player in franchise history to do it in consecutive seasons from 1960-62, per STATS.

The Orioles couldn’t go more than a day with only 14 players on the injured list.

Félix Bautista joined it this morning for the first time this season. He’s on the 15-day IL with right shoulder discomfort.

Reliever Kade Strowd was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk.

Bautista alerted the dugout in the seventh inning last night that he was unavailable. Interim manager Tony Mansolino told the assembled media later that “something didn’t feel right” and the club would have more information today.

Bautista threw a season-high 34 pitches Sunday in Tampa after going 10 days without appearing in a game. He earned the save but it was a struggle, with Bautista allowing a run and walking three batters.

Good morning and welcome to a rare combination around these parts. First, we have a getaway game starting at noon. But even more rare is the Nationals’ chance at a three-game sweep.

Yes, the Nats have not swept a three-game set since mid-May against the Orioles in Baltimore. And their opponent, the Reds, have not been swept at all this year. The Nationals held on after an offensive outburst to win Monday’s series opener. Then they used timely hitting and an impressive collective effort from Brad Lord and a makeshift bullpen to take Game 2 last night.

How will they fare today?

On the bump will be Michael Soroka, who is 3-7 with a 5.10 ERA and 1.147 WHIP in 14 starts. He didn’t get to face the Reds in Cincinnati back in early May, but he was strong in his first start of the second half, holding the Padres to just one run in five innings.

Nick Lodolo will go for Cincy. The southpaw is 7-6 with a 3.33 ERA and 1.082 WHIP in 20 starts this year. But the Nats knocked him around for seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits in 5 ⅓ innings on May 3 at Great American Ball Park.

Catcher Adley Rutschman began his injury rehab assignment this afternoon with Triple-A Norfolk and went 1-for-3 with a double and walk at Lehigh Valley.

Rutschman, who served as the designated hitter, hasn’t played for the Orioles since June 19 because of a strained left oblique. Interim manager Tony Mansolino told the assembled media in Cleveland that Rutschman will catch for the Tides on Wednesday and could be reinstated this weekend.

Samuel Basallo, the top prospect in the organization, remains out of the lineup with a sore oblique. He didn’t play over the weekend, but is beginning a hitting progression and could return this weekend.

Basallo, who turns 21 next month, is batting .264/.383/.591 with 11 doubles, 19 home runs and 48 RBIs in 62 games.  

Catcher Chadwick Tromp, on the injured list with a lower back strain, had his rehab assignment transferred to High-A Aberdeen.

The Nationals actually won a series opener Monday night, outlasting the Reds 10-8, thanks to their best offensive performance in a while. Which means they’ve now got two chances to win one game and win the series. That’s easier said than done, of course.

To pull it off tonight, the Nats will need to piece together nine innings from a pitching staff that’s not in great shape. Miguel Cairo had to burn up everybody in his bullpen the last two days after MacKenzie Gore failed to get out of the third inning and Jake Irvin failed to get out of the fourth inning. This would normally be the time to ask for length out of tonight’s starter, but Brad Lord is making his first start May 6. He’s been an effective reliever, but he hasn’t thrown more than 38 pitches in any appearance since then, so don’t count on more than three or maybe four innings from him tonight.

With that in mind, the Nats made a roster move today. They called up left-hander Konnor Pilkington from Triple-A Rochester, giving them a reliever who can provide some length behind Lord if needed. Mason Thompson was optioned to Rochester and Dylan Crews was transferred to the 60-day injured list to clear a spot on the 40-man roster (but that doesn’t change Crews’ eligibility to return once he’s deemed ready).

The Nationals would love to bust out for 10 runs again, but they’ll have to do it against one of the most dynamic young starting pitchers in the game. Chase Burns, the No. 2 pick in last summer’s draft, makes his fifth career start for the Reds. The right-hander throws an upper-90s fastball and a low-90s slider, so that’s what the Nats have in store tonight at the plate.

CINCINNATI REDS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 83 degrees, wind 7 mph in from right field

The Nationals have lost 11 of their last 13 series, including each of their last four. That’s how you wind up falling from two games under .500 to 21 games under .500 in a relatively brief amount of time. Suffice it to say, there’s a lot of work to be done just to reverse course and get this ship floating again. The road continues tonight with the opener of a three-game series against a Reds team that is smack dab in the middle of the National League Wild Card race and just took a series from the Mets at Citi Field.

Jake Irvin makes his first start of the second half, having been given seven days off since his last outing in the first-half finale. The right-hander has been OK so far this month, posting a 3.71 ERA, but he’s still looking to recapture the more consistently effective form he displayed earlier this year and for a large chunk of last year. He faced the Reds twice last season, and though he took no-decision in each case, he did pitch well (five runs in 12 innings).

Brady Singer has not faced the Nationals since 2023, when he was still pitching for the Royals. The 28-year-old right-hander has allowed three runs or fewer in 10 of his last 11 starts.

CINCINNATI REDS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 84 degrees, wind 7 mph in from center field

REDS
CF TJ Friedl
2B Matt McLain
SS Elly De La Cruz
LF Austin Hays
DH Gavin Lux
1B Spencer Steer
3B Noelvi Marte
RF Jake Fraley
C Jose Trevino

The Nationals have found themselves in this position plenty of times over the last month-plus, having lost the first game of a series before bouncing back to win the next night, leaving the finale as the decisive rubber game. And in five of the last seven such instances, they’ve lost the finale and thus lost the series.

One of those series came last month in San Diego, where the rubber game featured a pitching matchup of MacKenzie Gore vs. Nick Pivetta. Gore was outstanding that afternoon, allowing one run over six innings. And Pivetta was better, tossing seven scoreless innings with only three batters reaching base. Thus did the Padres win the game, 1-0.

Here we are again with the same pitching matchup in the series finale between the same two teams, this time at Nationals Park. Can Gore duplicate his efforts from that outing? More importantly, can the Nats mount more of an offensive threat against Pivetta and provide their ace with some desperately needed run support? That’s what’s at stake this afternoon.

SAN DIEGO PADRES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 87 degrees, wind 11 mph out to right field

PADRES
RF Fernando Tatis Jr.
1B Luis Arraez
3B Manny Machado
DH Xander Bogaerts
CF Jackson Merrill
LF Gavin Sheets
SS Jose Iglesias
2B Jake Cronenworth
CF Bryce Johnson
C Elias Díaz

TAMPA – Kyle Bradish will begin his injury rehab assignment Thursday with High-A Aberdeen, staying on track for a second-half return to the Orioles’ rotation.

Bradish had two ups yesterday during live batting practice in Sarasota.

Adley Rutschman (oblique) will start his rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Norfolk. He’s getting at-bats today against Tyler Wells, who’s nearing his own assignment.

First baseman Ryan Mountcastle (hamstring) will join Rutschman later in the week.

Left-hander Cade Povich (hip) starts Thursday or Friday at Norfolk.

It promises to be another eventful day and evening at Nationals Park, and it’s not just about the game. The Nats are set to formally sign and introduce No. 1 draft pick Eli Willits this afternoon. You can watch the press conference live on MASN at 3:15 p.m. Interim general manager Mike DeBartolo is also scheduled to meet with reporters for the second time since assuming the position, and there are no shortage of topics to discuss with him.

As for the game, the Nationals will look to bounce back from a sloppy, 7-2 loss to the Padres on Friday night. They’ll hope for more early offense after getting shut out by Dylan Cease, looking for better results against Yu Darvish, who makes only his third start of the season after missing several months with right elbow inflammation.

Mitchell Parker takes the mound for the Nats, and he pitched well last month at Petco Park, holding the Padres to three runs over six-plus innings, ultimately earning the win. The lefty will need to provide some length, you would think, after Miguel Cairo used up seven relievers during Friday’s loss.

SAN DIEGO PADRES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Chance of storms, 82 degrees, wind 5 mph out to left field

PADRES
RF Fernando Tatis Jr.
1B Luis Arraez
DH Manny Machado
LF Gavin Sheets
SS Xander Bogaerts
CF Jackson Merrill
3B Jose Iglesias
2B Jake Cronenworth
C Martín Maldonado