We tend to poke fun at the Rule 5 draft and the Orioles' past obsessions with it. Selecting three players at the 2017 Winter Meetings. Trying to carry more than one. Allowing it to become the biggest story for beat writers at those sites. "I attended the Winter Meetings and all I got was this lousy Rule 5 pick" There have been a few good choices, however, and Tyler Wells is proving to be a steal. Dice are rolled when a team gambles by trying to carry an inexperienced pitcher in its bullpen,...

An unknown quantity produced some much-needed quality for the Nationals on Saturday night. Lefty Josh Rogers - whose contract was selected from Triple-A Rochester to start the nightcap of a doubleheader because he was on turn and filled a need - threw 5 2/3 innings of four-hit, three-run ball as the Nationals beat the Mets 4-3 to snap a seven-game losing streak. Employing a herky-jerky old-school windup with an occasional hint of hesitation, Rogers gave the Nationals the length they needed to...

In what his manager called a "masterful" performance, Orioles right-hander Chris Ellis followed up a very strong outing at Rogers Centre with a better one at Yankee Stadium. If the question is whether a pitcher who went 1-5 with a 6.32 ERA at Triple-A Durham this year while giving up 14 homers in 57 innings can shut down two good American League East teams on the road back to back, the answer is yes. Ellis, 28, drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in round three in 2014, was traded by the Angels...

A week into Keibert Ruiz's Nationals tenure, the promising young catcher is assuming the bulk of the workload behind the plate but still trying to find his way offensively. A 1-for-5 afternoon in the Nats' 11-9 loss to the Mets left Ruiz's slash line at .148/.148/.259. Manager Davey Martinez is paying close attention to the rookie, who was anointed the organization's top prospect after coming from the Dodgers with pitcher Josiah Gray in the deal that sent pitcher Max Scherzer and shortstop...

With their losing streak at seven games, the Nationals will send left-hander Josh Rogers to the mound against the Mets in the nightcap of today's doubleheader. Gametime is scheduled for 6:55 p.m. after the extra-inning loss in the opener, and "Nats Xtra" pregame will air at 6:30 p.m. on MASN. Rogers was 7-3 2ith a 3.70 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) for Triple-A Rochester. He was signed to a minor league contract by the Nats on June 4, three days after he was released by the Orioles. The...

Erick Fedde is still searching for consistency and the Nationals continue to seek an elusive victory. Francisco Lindor led off the ninth inning with a moonshot two-run homer off Kyle Finnegan and the Mets, who blew a 9-0 lead and allowed the Nats to tie the game on Andrew Stevenson's two-run homer in the seventh, outlasted the Nats 11-9 in nine innings in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. Lindor connected on a 97 mph Finnegan sinker, completing a four-RBI day with a...

On a day they let a late three-run lead get away, the Orioles were still able to win. And they pulled it out by scoring in the top of the ninth off Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman. The lefty took the mound in the ninth of a 3-3 tie and fanned Ryan Mountcastle, but Mountcastle reached first on the wild pitch to start the inning. An Austin Hays single to left and a walk to Trey Mancini followed to load the bases with no outs. After a strikeout, catcher Pedro Severino ran the count full. He then...

So close to having a 3-1 road trip. With losses the last two games by 5-4 at Toronto and 4-3 in 11 innings at New York, the Orioles indeed could be looking at a 3-1 road trip, instead of being 1-3 heading into this afternoon's game at Yankee Stadium. But the Orioles (41-92), who have played three straight games decided by two runs or fewer, have lost six of seven and 25 of their past 28 games heading into the second of this three-game series in the Bronx. The Orioles are 1-12 in their last 13...

The Nationals have selected the contract of left-hander Josh Rogers from Triple-A Rochester, and he will be the 29th man for today's doubleheader against the Mets and will start the nightcap. "He'll start the second game," manager Davey Martinez said during his morning Zoom briefing with reporters. "Four-pitch mix and he throws strikes. ... Wanna give him a shot and see what he can do." Rogers, 27, was 7-3 with a 3.70 ERA in 14 games, including 13 starts, for Rochester this season. He...

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Josh Rogers and transferred right-handed pitcher Kyle McGowin to the 60-day Injured List on Saturday. Rogers will serve as the 29th man for Washington's doubleheader against the New York Mets. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Rogers, 27, joins the Nationals after going 7-3 with a 3.70 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) with Triple-A Rochester. He struck out 49 batters...