The Nationals' rebuild will be a success if they can get more than a few of the young players who now make up the majority of their roster to develop into legitimate contributors. It'll be an even bigger and faster success if they can also get their few remaining veterans to return to the form they displayed while winning the World Series two years ago. So consider tonight's 4-1 victory over the Brewers a best-case-scenario kind of night. They not only got contributions from a host of...

Opportunities are rolled out like carpets, with the Orioles trying to keep teams from walking all over them. Keegan Akin is in the rotation with Bruce Zimmermann perhaps done for the season and he's getting more starts beyond tonight. What he does with them could strengthen his case for the 2022 season. The Orioles are just looking to win some games in 2021. Akin surrendered a pair of home runs within the first three innings and worked into the sixth, allowing manager Brandon Hyde to stay away...

The Nationals didn't need to utilize a fifth starter until next weekend, but they've decided to go ahead and plug Sean Nolin into their rotation now. Nolin, the 31-year-old left-hander who has been available out of the bullpen for the last week since making one spot start against the Mets, will start Sunday's series finale against the Brewers, manager Davey Martinez said. Nolin takes over the rotation spot that opened up with Joe Ross had to be shut down for the rest of the season with a...

Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias spent about 25 minutes in the home dugout this afternoon for his latest media session. The 15-game losing streak, second-longest in club history, the path of the rebuild and the organization's prospects were among the many topics. Elias said he senses the pressure that manager Brandon Hyde is feeling beyond winning games and offers encouragement in their discussions. That Hyde is the right man for the job and it's going to work out....

If the Orioles are to end a 15-game losing streak when they start a long homestand tonight, they will have to beat a first-place team that has been recently playing outstanding baseball. The Orioles (38-82) host the Atlanta Braves (65-56) in the opener of a three-game series and nine-game homestand versus the Braves, Angels and Rays. The Braves have won six in a row, scoring 47 runs, and are 13-2 since Aug. 3. They were in third place and four games behind first when this stretch began. But...

Anthony Santander remains out of the Orioles lineup tonight with a sore ankle. Jorge Mateo has moved to right field for the series opener against the Braves. Trey Mancini is the designated hitter and Ryan Mountcastle is playing first base. Austin Hays is in left field and batting cleanup. Maikel Franco drops to ninth in the order. Executive vice president Mike Elias said outfielder Heston Kjerstad, the second overall pick in the 2020 draft, has resumed workouts in Sarasota and is getting closer...

Fresh off a two-game sweep of the Blue Jays, the Nationals now embark on a nine-game road trip that kicks off with a tough challenge: a weekend series in Milwaukee. The Brewers have won eight of 10 and now hold a commanding 8 1/2-game lead in the National League Central. They're doing it with elite pitching, especially from an imposing threesome atop their rotation (Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta) that should give them a chance to beat anybody come October. (Sound...

The Orioles made their latest bullpen move this afternoon, claiming right-hander Chris Ellis off waivers from the Rays and designating César Valdez for assignment. Left-hander Ryan Hartman cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. Ellis, 28, made his second major league appearance Tuesday night against the Orioles and earned the win with four scoreless innings in relief. He allowed three hits, walked one, struck out seven and was designated for assignment to create room for...

From the moment he arrived in the big leagues in 2018, Juan Soto's ability to reach base has outshone every other baseball skill of his. And he's got plenty of elite skills. For all his prowess hitting for power, hitting to the opposite field, just hitting in general, Soto has always made a name for himself first and foremost because of his batting eye. That, more than anything, has led to his .422 career on-base percentage, a mark that during that four-season span has been bested by only one...

SALISBURY, Md. - Orioles top draft pick Colton Cowser seems to be making a pretty seamless transition to full-season baseball. Promoted to low Single-A Delmarva this week, he went 2-for-6 in his first two games with a double, two runs, an RBI, two walks and one strikeout. He had a 1-for-5 night with a booming RBI double in the third inning last night as Delmarva beat Fredericksburg 11-9. The Shorebirds are 3-0 since the arrival of 12 draft picks this week from the class of 2021. Cowser began...