The latest reliever swap by the Orioles has put knuckleballer Mickey Jannis in the bullpen, his major league debut at age 33 perhaps coming later tonight against the Astros. The Orioles selected Jannis' contract yesterday from Triple-A Norfolk, with the news passed along by Tides manager Gary Kendall via a phone call. The team didn't play yesterday. Kendall wanted to tell Jannis in person, but he couldn't do it. "I don't think I could put into words what this means," Jannis said earlier...

In order to pull off their ninth win in 10 games, the Nationals needed another Kyle Schwarber three-run homer to highlight a five-run top of the fifth, a Josh Bell grand slam to cap a six-run top of the sixth, a two-run single by Starlin Castro in the top of the ninth to re-take a lead that had just been lost and then the first save conversion of Paolo Espino's career (with some help from a bleeding Jordy Mercer at second base). And it all worked out. Somehow. Some way. Adding another...

Anthony Santander took early batting practice and is in tonight's lineup against the Astros to close out the homestand. Santander didn't play Monday and struck out last night as a pinch-hitter. He's dealing with a sore left ankle, but is in right field tonight. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter. He's 14-for-33 (.424) with four home runs and eight RBIs in his last eight games and is batting .361/.378/.694 in 18 games this month. He's batting .365 (27-for-74) with two outs this...

As the baseball world was still up in arms over the theatrics of Joe Girardi asking umpires to check Max Scherzer for foreign substances for a third time Tuesday night, the Nationals were dealing with several injury scares late during their 3-2 victory over the Phillies. Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Josh Harrison all were less than 100 percent healthy by the time Brad Hand escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth. And though all three are back in the lineup for this afternoon's...

Well, guess what? There's another ballgame to be played in Philadelphia. This afternoon. The buzz from Tuesday night's histrionics hasn't dissipated yet, but the Nationals and Phillies can't wait for that to happen before taking the field again for the finale of this quick, two-game series. The Nats, by virtue of a dramatic 3-2 win that was overshadowed by Joe Girardi's attempt to get into Max Scherzer's head (or, at least, his sweaty hair), are now in position to sweep the mini-series...

So, what happens now? What happens when the Nationals and Phillies take the field again at 1:05 p.m. today for the finale of this quick, two-game series at Citizens Bank Park? Will the mandatory, between-innings checks of both teams' pitchers by umpires looking for foreign substances continue without issue? Will either Joe Girardi or Davey Martinez try to one-up the other and request an extra examination of the opposing pitcher, as Girardi did Tuesday night with Max Scherzer, setting off a...

BOWIE, Md. - After the Orioles selected Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft, he went on to play in 37 minor league games that summer. This year, bumped up to Double-A Bowie, Rutschman already has 41 games under his belt and no O's minor league player has more plate appearances, He's getting his work in and thriving, and so is his team. If the O's had presented a wish list for his first full minor league season before this year began, he's...

Let's get the most important point out of the way first: The Nationals beat the Phillies 3-2 tonight. They've now won eight of their last nine, moved into a three-way tie for second place in the National League East and continued a dramatic June surge that is making believers out of more skeptics with each passing day. Max Scherzer allowed one run in five innings in his first start back from a minor groin injury. The lineup scored three early runs off Zack Wheeler to take the lead. Austin...

The perfect game and no-hit drama dissipated tonight just two batters into the bottom of the first inning after Freddy Galvis slapped a single into left field to beat the shift. Rain wasn't in the forecast. Umpires checking for sticky substances already felt like old news. The Orioles moved on from their lopsided and waterlogged defeat. Each day presents a fresh start. A new opposing pitcher and the latest opportunity to begin spinning their season in the right direction. Astros veteran Zack...

Perhaps motivated by back-to-back shaky outings and/or by tying a career high by allowing three homers in his last start, Orioles right-hander Jorge López seemed focused on getting deep into tonight's game. And he gave the Orioles their 16th outing this year by a starting pitcher of six innings or more. He went a season-best 6 1/3 innings. But a seventh inning run by Houston broke a tie game as the Astros went on to beat the Orioles 3-1 at Oriole Park. While Houston (45-28) has won nine in...