It was a strange sequence of events tonight. In the last of the fourth Orioles right-hander Matt Harvey gave up two runs as his scoreless innings streak came to an end. When the last of the fifth began, he was out of the game. These two instances did not seem to be related. No way O's skipper Brandon Hyde would take out a pitcher who had been throwing as well as Harvey recently at just 63 pitches, you would think, and immediately the thought of an injury came to mind. Although it did seem that...

The month of July is behind us and the ol' mailbag is swollen like a tick on a Doberman. The dog days of summer are upon us. I need to get back to answering your questions - over and over without complaint or pointing out how many of them are repetitious. It can be done with sincerity or a dash of sarcasm. It can be informative and fun. It's a floor wax, it's a dessert topping. There is no editing for length, clarity, style or brevity. It's the internet. We have room. Also, my mailbag cup...

One week after learning they had tested positive for COVID-19, two remaining Nationals players, five coaches and four other staffers still have not been cleared to rejoin the club. Manager Davey Martinez said the affected personnel are anxious to get back to work but are forced to remain away from the team until getting the green light from officials. "Not yet. Nothing," Martinez said during his Zoom session with reporters prior to tonight's game against the Phillies. "We're still waiting...

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said left-hander Keegan Akin, who tossed three scoreless innings last night in relief, will enter the rotation in Alexander Wells' spot. The Orioles are staying with five starters and keeping them in turn. Extra rest comes with the off-days Thursday and Monday, "which is needed right now for everybody," Hyde said. The Rays are starting Ryan Yarbrough, Shane McClanahan and Michael Wacha in the weekend series at Camden Yards. The Orioles are starting John Means,...

The Orioles play the finale of a three-game series at New York and also of their two-city, seven-game road trip tonight at Yankee Stadium. They have split two in New York after going 2-2 at Detroit. So whether they go 3-4 or 4-3 on this trip will be decided tonight in the Bronx. The Orioles got hammered 13-1 last night and it was their fourth loss this year by 11 or more runs. They lost 14-1 June 9 to the Mets and 13-0 on June 23 versus Houston, and those are their biggest losses of the year by...

The Orioles retooled their bullpen today by selecting the contracts of right-handers Dusten Knight and Marcos Diplán from Triple-A Norfolk, two more potential major league debuts. Forty-nine players have been used this season, with 12 making their debuts. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Orioles decided pitcher Shaun Anderson and infielder Domingo Leyba would be designated for assignment. Leyba was in Norfolk. Knight is wearing No. 67 and Diplán No. 78. Rule 5 pick Tyler Wells...

There are players we know are going to be part of the Nationals' plan in 2022, and there are players we know are not going to be part of their plan in 2022. And then there are those who don't really fall into either category. They aren't necessarily building blocks for the future, but they also still serve a valuable function and could return next year to do the same. Like Paolo Espino. At 34, he's hardly in position to be a long-term part of the Nationals rotation. But he's been really...

The Nationals will open the 2022 season at Citi Field, facing the Mets, before returning to D.C. to host the Phillies in their home opener four days later. Major League Baseball is nothing if not predictable when it comes to scheduling. The league unveiled its 2022 schedule today, and it features all kinds of familiar-looking matchups. The Nationals open March 31 on the road against the Mets, the fourth consecutive year they will have been scheduled to face New York on opening day, though the...

The Washington Nationals - in conjunction with Major League Baseball - announced their 2022 schedule on Wednesday. The 18th season of Nationals baseball will commence with an Opening Day matchup against the New York Mets at Citi Field on March 31st. Opening Day 2022 will mark the sixth time the Nationals (2005-pres.) have faced the Mets on Opening Day. Washington's initial road trip will feature three games against the Mets before the home opener at Nationals Park against the Philadelphia...

As long as Major League Baseball doesn't experience another work stoppage, the Orioles will be opening the 2022 season at home on Thursday, March 31 against the Blue Jays. The league released schedules for all 30 teams this afternoon. The three-game series will be followed by the first road trip, beginning April 4 in Boston and continuing in St. Petersburg, Fla. for a heavy early dose of division opponents. The first West Coast trek also is in April, with a four-game series in Oakland and a...