Though a deal is not yet finalized, the Nationals are making progress toward hiring Darnell Coles as their new hitting coach, a source familiar with the discussions confirmed. Details still have to be worked out, according to the source, but once completed Coles would take the position held the last four seasons by Kevin Long, who departed earlier this week to become the Phillies hitting coach. The news was first reported by MLB.com. Coles, 59, spent the last seven seasons as a major league...

It can be easy to look at some of the Orioles' young pitchers and their stats in the 2021 season and feel the odds are long against them helping the club much in the future. This would represent a rush to judgment, however. And the team's front office has likely not made such judgments, and their opinions count the most. Pitchers like lefty Keegan Akin and right-hander Dean Kremer ended 2020 looking decent and maybe ready for the majors. This past season was a very different story. Let's...

PLAYER REVIEW: RILEY ADAMS Age on opening day 2022: 25 How acquired: Traded from Blue Jays for Brad Hand, July 2021 MLB service time: 92 days 2021 salary: $570,500 Contract status: Under team control, arbitration-eligible in 2025, free agent in 2028 2021 stats (TOR/WSH): 47 G, 120 PA, 99 AB, 13 R, 22 H, 8 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 0 SB, 0 CS, 15 BB, 40 SO, .222 AVG, .358 OBP, .384 SLG, .742 OPS, 105 OPS+, minus-6 DRS, 0.0 fWAR, 0.5 bWAR Quotable: "He's going to get an opportunity to play, play...

The process of identifying players the Orioles could acquire for the 2022 season has begun. Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias discussed that and much more recently on the "Inside the Yard" O's podcast with hosts Geoff Arnold and Brett Hollander. Elias and all executives throughout Major League Baseball are awaiting the results of the collective bargaining talks between the sports' players and owners. A new collective bargaining agreement could be in place...

The Orioles began work this afternoon on a 40-man roster that must undergo significant changes to accommodate injured players and prospects eligible for the Rule 5 draft. One spot opened up when reliever Zack Burdi was put on waivers and claimed today by the Diamondbacks. The 40-man now holds 39 players. Burdi was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Aug. 30 and made his lone appearance with the Orioles on Sept. 6, tossing a scoreless inning against the Royals. He was optioned the next day. The...

PLAYER REVIEW: KEIBERT RUIZ Age on opening day 2022: 23 How acquired: Traded with Josiah Gray, Gerardo Carrillo and Donovan Casey from Dodgers for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, July 2021 MLB service time: 64 days 2021 salary: $570,500 Contract status: Under team control, arbitration-eligible in 2025, free agent in 2028 2021 stats (LA/WSH): 29 G, 96 PA, 88 AB, 10 R, 24 H, 3 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 0 SB, 0 CS, 6 BB, 9 SO, .273 AVG, .333 OBP, .409 SLG, .742 OPS, 104 OPS+, 1 DRS, 0.3 fWAR, 0.5...

The latest injury appeared like so many others in Hunter Harvey's professional life. Without warning and with total disregard for what he's endured since the Orioles drafted him in the first round and predicted greatness. Harvey was working through his rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk after recovering from a strained right latissimus dorsi. The Orioles transferred him to the 60-day injured list on Sept. 7, a paper move to create space on the 40-man roster. He was eligible to return any...

It could not have been easy to do, but in 2021, on the way to a breakout season, Orioles outfield prospect Robert Neustrom made some in-season swing adjustments. Adjustments that took his offense to a higher level as he ended the year among the top hitters on the O's farm. But at the end of May while with Double-A Bowie, he had an OPS of .608 with one homer. It was then that he and Baysox hitting coach Ryan Fuller went to work. He was a power hitter putting the ball on the ground way too much....

The Nationals removed three players off their 40-man roster this afternoon, assigning pitchers Alberto Baldonado, Steven Fuentes and Sean Nolin outright to Triple-A Rochester. Baldonado and Fuentes remain in the organization. Nolin, who previously in his career had been outrighted to the minor leagues, elected to become a free agent. Baldonado and Nolin ended the season in the Nats bullpen, while Fuentes spent much of the summer on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder strain. The...

PLAYER REVIEW: CARTER KIEBOOM Age on opening day 2022: 24 How acquired: First-round pick, 2016 draft MLB service time: 1 year, 86 days 2021 salary: $570,500 Contract status: Under team control, arbitration-eligible in 2024, free agent in 2027 2021 stats: 62 G, 249 PA, 217 AB, 26 R, 45 H, 6 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 0 SB, 0 CS, 25 BB, 62 SO, .207 AVG, .301 OBP, .318 SLG, .619 OPS, 72 OPS+, minus-8 DRS, minus-0.7 fWAR, minus-1.1 bWAR Quotable: "It's a matter with him of making adjustments. He...