The Nationals have 40 games remaining in the 2021 season, starting with this afternoon's series finale in Milwaukee. It's hard to believe that we're already this close to the end of the baseball season. Fall is right around the corner. On this week's episode of the "MASN All Access Podcast," Amy Jennings and I set goals for a handful of Nationals players to reach before season's end. I wanted to expand on a couple of those goals and bring up some new ones as things to look out for over...

It was only a matter of time. The Nationals bullpen flirted with danger too often this afternoon against the Brewers and it finally cost them in the eighth inning of a 9-6 loss. Looking for their first four-game winning streak since June 27-30, the Nationals couldn't get pitchers to make pitches when they needed them the most. After a strong showing by starter Paolo Espino, the bullpen arms gave the Brewers two leads in the second half of the game, struggling to protect their own lead or to...

The latest shot to end a long losing streak is tonight for the Orioles. They host the Atlanta Braves in the second game of a three-game series and it's part of the larger nine-game homestand that runs through next weekend. Lefty Max Fried threw a gem as Atlanta blanked the Orioles 3-0 on Friday night. He allowed just four hits - three singles and a double - and no Oriole advanced past second base. Fried improved to 11-7 with an ERA of 3.49, throwing 90 pitches, 66 for strikes. Over his last...

In a few days, the Orioles rotation will undergo a change. That is because struggling right-hander Jorge López is moving to the bullpen, in a role to be determined, as of tonight when the Orioles host Atlanta at Camden Yards. López is 3-14 with a 6.35 ERA in 25 starts, covering 113 1/3 innings. On Aug 2 and Aug. 8, he threw two strong starts, allowing a combined three runs and five hits in 12 innings against the Yankees and Rays. But then he gave up seven runs in 3 1/3 innings versus...

Matt Harvey is on the mound tonight trying to snap the Orioles' 16-game losing streak that's the second-longest in club history. Harvey is 6-12 with 6.25 ERA and 1.546 WHIP in 24 starts. He's allowed 10 runs and 16 hits this month in three starts over 13 2/3 innings. Tonight marks Harvey's 15th career appearance and 14th start against the Braves. He owns a 4.94 ERA and 1.366 WHIP in 78 1/3 innings. Anthony Santander returns to the lineup tonight after being day-to-day with a sore ankle....

With two young catchers playing well on the active roster, a veteran nearing his return from the 10-day injured list and a top prospect knocking on the door at Triple-A Rochester, the Nationals' catching situation is one of the more interesting storylines to follow for the remainder of the season. After four straight games behind the plate, Riley Adams gives way to Tres Barrera, who starts today against the Brewers for the first time in a week. Even though Adams has played more recently and...

Can the Nationals make it four in a row? After last night's win over the Brewers, the Nats are now in the midst of their longest winning streak since July 18-20. Their last four-game winning streak came all the way back from June 27-30. Paolo Espino will take the mound in pursuit of that feat as he faces the team with which he made his major league debut. Espino is 3-4 with a 4.16 ERA on the season and 3-3 with a 4.53 ERA in 11 starts. His only appearance against his former team came in a...

For 2 1/2 seasons, the Nationals had nothing but veteran catchers on their roster. Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki joined forces to win a championship in 2019, then returned to work together in 2020. And after Suzuki departed as a free agent last winter, the Nats brought in Alex Avila to back up Gomes this season, again ensuring they'd have two seasoned guys behind the plate. These days? Well, the Nats' catching position couldn't look any more dramatically different. With Gomes traded to the...

The constant glimpses into the future, where many of the Orioles maintain their gaze for as long as the days allow, isn't just for the 2022 season and beyond. It isn't just about where the finish line to the rebuild might be placed. There's the task of figuring out which players to call up in September and in what increments with rosters expanding only to 28. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias tackled that subject yesterday while sitting in the dugout during batting...

He said he was a bit shocked to be drafted by the Orioles. But now that he is here, he's very grateful to be wearing the orange and black, and he added that he patterns parts of his game after O's center fielder Cedric Mullins. In one interview with low Single-A Delmarva outfielder Donta' Williams this week, it is clear that he is a confident player and believes he can on day join Mullins as an Oriole. You have to admire the confident outlook of Williams (first name pronounced Don-tay), who,...