The Orioles tend to create a reflex action of eyes darting to the farm system in search of anything positive. A No. 5 ranking is a vision of loveliness during an unsightly rebuild. However, there are individual stories on the major league club that shouldn't be treated as if invisible. And it's good for the soul to embrace them. Three examples immediately came to mind yesterday. With arms wide open. Of course, the first baseman getting drilled on the right elbow last night by a 95 mph...

The search for a win to end a long losing streak has moved from Washington to Minnesota and now on to Chicago. Tonight the Orioles take on the first-place White Sox in the first of a four-game series and the seventh game of their current road trip. The trip began after the Orioles allowed 32 runs in losing three straight at home versus Tampa Bay. Then they lost three in Washington by a combined 22-16 score and three at Minnesota by 18-9. The Orioles (17-32) begin tonight 13 1/2 games behind the...

The Orioles are back to having 26 players on their active roster after reinstating reliever Dillon Tate from the injured list this afternoon. Tate was on the IL with a strained left hamstring. He threw a spotless inning Tuesday night with Triple-A Norfolk in his only rehab game, striking out one batter and throwing only nine pitches. The roster had an opening after the Orioles optioned starter Dean Kremer to Norfolk yesterday morning. "I'm happy to have Dillon back because Dillon's a guy...

After winning the completion of Wednesday night's suspended game, the Nationals now attempt to sweep this not-really-a-doubleheader against the Reds, hoping to get a big-time start from Stephen Strasburg and avoid using the relievers they needed to close out the earlier 5-3 win. Strasburg was pretty good in his first start off the injured list, tossing 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the Orioles, though he pretty clearly was running out of gas by the fifth. The Nats will hope the right-hander...

He is in his fourth season on the Orioles. Which means reliever Paul Fry was not here in 2016, when the club was last in the playoffs. In fact, it was during his first year in 2018 that the Orioles made the mid-season trades of Manny Machado, Zack Britton and others. He's seen a lot of ups and downs in this game and been on an O's team that lost 115 games in 2018. Now as an elder statesman in the bullpen and with more tenure than many on this club, he's trying to be a player others can lean...

With five innings on tap this afternoon to complete the game that only lasted four innings Wednesday night before a storm barreled through town, then a seven-inning game still to come later tonight as part of this pseudo-doubleheader, Nationals manager Davey Martinez had to concoct a pitching plan that would give his club the best chance to win both games. And when the Nats added to the three-run lead they already held when Wednesday's game was suspended, the path should've been simple for...

Orioles minor league pitcher Brenan Hanifee, a fourth-round pick in the 2016 draft out of Turner-Ashby High School in Virginia, underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstructive surgery on his right elbow yesterday in Dallas. The team announced that the procedure was "successful." Dr. Keith Meister performed the surgery. Meister handled the same procedure in October on pitcher Carter Baumler, a fifth-round selection in 2020 out of Dowling Catholic High School in Iowa, and repaired pitcher...

It's not often a team has the ability to change its roster mid-game, but the Nationals and Reds both were afforded the opportunity today for the completion of Wednesday night's suspended game. The Nats have activated Tanner Rainey off the COVID-19 injured list and will have the reliever available to them for the final five innings of the resumed game, plus tonight's seven-inning series finale. They'll also have Kyle McGowin available for the nightcap even though the right-hander was...

The Washington Nationals reinstated right-handed pitcher Tanner Rainey from the Injured List and optioned right-handed pitcher Kyle McGowin to Triple-A Rochester on Thursday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Rainey, 28, returns to Washington's bullpen after missing six games. He tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief across his last four appearances before being placed on the Injured List on May 19. Rainey has tossed scoreless...

The Nationals entered play Wednesday last in the National League - and next-to-last in the majors - with just 128 walks for the season. But for a team that prides itself on making contact, the lack of free passes isn't an issue for manager Davey Martinez. "You go up there with a bat in your hand and you swing it, you know?" he said during his pregame Zoom session with reporters. "I want these guys to be aggressive and if they get a ball they can hit, try to hit it hard and put it in...