The Orioles won't have the Rays to kick them around anymore. Not this year, at least. The schedule for the remainder of the season doesn't include another series between the teams, with the Rays' parting shot a 12-8 victory before an announced crowd of 8,353 at Camden Yards. The three-game sweep, pretty much sealed by Joey Wendle's grand slam off Paul Fry in the seventh, left the Orioles 1-18 against the Rays and 0-9 in Baltimore. They've lost the last 12 games. This is the club's first...

Alexander Wells worked two innings and threw 26 pitches in last night's start at Triple-A Norfolk, but he's healthy. The Orioles are keeping him available to work in relief this week. Chris Ellis is starting on Monday in Toronto, but Wells can be a bulk guy behind him if he's added to the active roster. He's making the trip. The 26-man roster expands to 28 on Wednesday. Last night's outing was the equivalent of a side session for Wells, who hasn't allowed a run in his last three...

It started with Keegan Akin's solid seven-inning outing on Thursday afternoon, when he allowed just three hits and one run. That started a run that is now three consecutive quality outings by O's pitchers as Matt Harvey and John Means followed Akin with strong outings of their own. Three straight quality starts is a first for the 2021 Orioles. They had had two in a row but never three until now. In this span, the three starters allowed six runs and 12 hits in 19 1/3 innings with three walks...

The Nationals aren't waiting to get a look at promising young catcher Keibert Ruiz, who will be promoted from Triple-A Rochester for Monday night's opener of a three-game home series against the Phillies, the club announced this morning. "He's playing really well down there," manager Davey Martinez said in his pregame Zoom session with reporters. "We want to get him here, get him settled, let him get some at-bats down at Rochester. (General manager Mike Rizzo) and I, we sat around and we...

The Nationals promoted Cade Cavalli to Triple-A this week because they wanted to see how their top pitching prospect would handle more experienced hitters with a better sense of the strike zone. And in his debut Saturday night for Rochester, the young right-hander got a taste of what's still in store for him before he's ready to pitch in the big leagues. Cavalli was pulled after giving up five runs, all with two outs, in the bottom of the third during what ended up a 5-3 loss to the Syracuse...

Cole Sulser thought it was a pretty good pitch. Manager Brandon Hyde described it as OK. Neither one expected that it was going to land on the flag court in right field, as close as possible without striking the top of the out-of-town scoreboard. The Orioles lost again to the Rays last night 4-3 after Randy Arozarena hit his eighth home run against them this season and increased his RBI total to 18. He entered the game slashing .469/.500/.980 versus a team that can't figure out how to stop...

The No. 1 prospect in baseball, Triple-A Norfolk catcher Adley Rutschman, has been at the minors' highest level for just over two weeks now. After starting with eight hits in his first 17 Norfolk at-bats, his hitting has leveled off a bit, but it's still been a strong start for Rutschman with the Tides. Earlier, over 80 games with Double-A Bowie, Rutschman hit .271/.392/.508/.901 with 16 doubles, 18 homers and 55 RBIs. Through 15 games with Norfolk at Triple-A, he's batting...

Having already used up four young relievers to win Friday's game by the slimmest of margins, Nationals manager Davey Martinez had little choice but to turn to another group tonight after getting a solid start from Sean Nolin, hoping these bullpen arms could likewise protect a one-run lead against the Mets. That proved too tall a task for Ryne Harper and Mason Thompson, who combined to allow three runs during the decisive bottom of the seventh that sealed the Nats' fate in a 5-3 loss at Citi...

The Orioles keep a shorter bench to provide manager Brandon Hyde with an extra reliever, a survival tactic with his starters routinely unable to provide much length. More position players are coming with rosters expanding on Wednesday. Meanwhile, with the timing odd, Hyde's rotation is attempting to produce the kind of streak that the Orioles won't regret. Keegan Akin closed out the Angels series by going a career-high seven innings. Matt Harvey logged six last night before succumbing to the...

Manager Brandon Hyde sat Austin Hays again tonight with the opposition starting a right-hander. DJ Stewart is in left field and batting fifth against Tampa Bay's Michael Wacha. Hays came off the bench Wednesday and Thursday against the Angels and was 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs. He was in left field last night with the Rays starting southpaw Shane McClanahan and went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer. The splits are factoring into the lineup decisions. Hays is slashing .214/.267/.355...