Given the losses his team has sustained elsewhere around the field, Nationals manager Davey Martinez has been toying with the idea of using Josh Bell in left field on occasion as a means of getting Ryan Zimmerman into the lineup alongside his usual first base platoon partner. But in order for that plan to work, not only does Bell have to prove he can handle the outfield for the first time since he was a rookie in Pittsburgh, but Zimmerman has to prove he can rediscover the swing that produced...

Among the many improbable and insane developments in the 2021 season is the suggestion, as phrased in manager Brandon Hyde's postgame Zoom call following Sunday's win in Kansas City, that Ramón Urías could be a "long-term" solution at shortstop. In no way is this meant to slight Urías, but he seemed to have a slippery grip on a 40-man roster spot earlier this year and now he's trying to turn Freddy Galvis into Wally Pipp. Urías had just registered his seventh multi-hit game in...

Everyone has a story. Spenser Watkins isn't satisfied with closing the book on his own after a 28-year-old rookie finally reaches the majors. He has more to tell. Watkins isn't going anywhere except back to Baltimore in a few days while waiting for his next start. He keeps getting outs and more chances, impressing again tonight in a 6-1 win over the Rays at Tropicana Field. The Orioles improved to 31-62 overall and 1-7 against the Rays, with Watkins carrying a shutout into the sixth before...

They knew the schedule was about to ease up. They just needed to get through a daunting 14-game stretch against the National League West's three contenders, sandwiched around the All-Star break, and then hope the tide would begin to turn once they had a chance to start facing lesser competition. And if tonight's 18-1 thrashing of the last-place Marlins is a sign of things to come, the Nationals might just have another run in them. And Jon Lester might not have to worry about his immediate job...

There are still several more steps he'll need to take - critical steps - before he's ready to pitch for the Nationals, but Stephen Strasburg took an important one today when he threw 32 pitches off the bullpen mound and had no complaints afterward about his neck. "We'll see how he feels tomorrow, but he threw the ball well," manager Davey Martinez said in his Zoom session with reporters prior to tonight's series opener against the Marlins. "The ball came out fairly well and we'll see...

John Means remains the Orioles' listed starter for Tuesday night, saying in today's Zoom call that his left shoulder has felt "great." The ace returns to make his first appearance since June 5. "It hasn't flared up at all," Means said on his Zoom call, "so, yeah, I'm ready to go tomorrow." More than six weeks have passed since Means pitched, outside of three injury rehab games in the minors. "I was more frustrated that it had to happen," he said. "I didn't really want to take time...

Cedric Mullins is on the bench tonight as the Orioles begin a three-game series against the Rays at Tropicana Field. Ryan McKenna is in center field. Austin Hays is in left and batting first. Anthony Santander is in right field and hitting cleanup, followed by shortstop Ramón Urías. Ryan Mountcastle is starting at first base and Kelvin Gutierrez is at third. Spenser Watkins earned another start, his third in the majors. He's allowed two runs and seven hits in 10 1/3 innings, walking six...

At last, the Nationals have completed the toughest portion of their schedule, a 17-game gauntlet against the Mets, Rays, Dodgers, Padres, Giants and Padres (again) that proved every bit as difficult as you'd have thought, even moreso given their depleted roster. They finished that stretch 6-11, though against the National League West contenders, they were 3-11. Not very good. Fortunately, the schedule finally eases up beginning tonight with the opener of a three-game series against the...

The Washington Nationals recalled outfielder Andrew Stevenson from Triple-A Rochester and optioned right-handed pitcher Andres Machado on Monday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Stevenson, 27, was returned from rehab assignment and reinstated from the 10-day Injured List before being optioned to Triple-A Rochester on July 10. He has a .500/.522/.818 slash line in six games since rejoining the Red Wings with a double, two homers,...

The Orioles today announced the return of the O's Unlimited pass, which features a general admission ticket to every home game in August and September for only $40 per month. General admission locations include Standing Room Only access throughout Oriole Park, including the Flag Court, the Budweiser Roof Deck in center field, and the area behind the bullpens next to Orioles Legends Park. Fans may purchase an O's Unlimited pass by visiting Orioles.com/Unlimited. The O's Unlimited pass is a...