The Washington Nationals acquired right-handed pitcher Aldo Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for outfielder Kyle Schwarber on Thursday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Ramirez, 20, is 1-1 with a 2.03 ERA in eight starts for Low-A Salem. He has 32 strikeouts against eight walks with one home run allowed in 31.0 innings pitched. Over his last three starts, Ramirez has tossed 14.0 consecutive scoreless innings, striking...

We've plummeted below the 24-hour mark until reaching baseball's trade deadline. It's the final countdown. We're leaving together, but still it's farewell. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias is fielding and making calls, the activity brisk but producing nothing so far that's impacting the roster and the rebuild. There aren't many trade chips on the table, but contenders certainly are expressing interest in a handful of them, most notably in the bullpen. Quite similar to...

The Nationals aren't just trading Max Scherzer to a National League West contender. They're also including Trea Turner in the deal. A blockbuster trade that will send both Scherzer and Turner to Los Angeles for four young players, headlined by the Dodgers' two top-rated prospects (catcher Keibert Ruiz and right-hander Josiah Gray), is in the final stages of being approved by all affected parties, a source familiar with the discussions confirmed tonight. Also included in the trade are...

Over the past few hours, the Orioles attempted to win a game in Detroit, find a trade partner and gain more clarity on their roster heading into the weekend. They went 0-for-3. Casey Mize was only partially to blame. Rookie Alexander Wells surrendered four runs in five innings, Mize carried a shutout into the seventh, the Tigers won 6-2 and manager Brandon Hyde concluded his postgame Zoom call with the same players who made the ride from the team hotel to Comerica Park earlier in the...

The Nationals are still evaluating trade offers for ace Max Scherzer, with the Padres having put forth a package of prospects that might be enough but other contenders still attempting to top it, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Despite a late-afternoon report by The Athletic that general manager Mike Rizzo was close to a deal with San Diego, sources said nothing has been finalized yet and a handful of other clubs remain in contention. Complicating matters is the fact any...

There isn't much news to report from the Orioles as afternoon moves into evening. Pat Valaika is out of the lineup again tonight in Detroit, his last start coming Sunday against the Nationals. He played an inning last night. Manager Brandon Hyde indicated that Valaika is fine physically. "I'm just giving (Domingo) Leyba some opportunities against right-handed pitching," Hyde said on his Zoom call. Valaika hit a home run on July 21 and two more the following game. He had a single and RBI in...

Would you believe me if I told you this morning that the Nationals would have a very good chance to sweep the Phillies in today's doubleheader after a COVID-19 outbreak in the visitors' clubhouse, trade rumors heating up about Washington's first starting pitching, an ominous forecast all day in Philadelphia and blowing a 7-0 lead in the second game? Well, they did have a chance, but that's not what happened after the Nats followed up a strong win in the first game with a complete collapse...

As the Orioles begin a two-city, seven-game road trip tonight, left-hander Alexander Wells (1-0, 4.35 ERA) will make his fourth major league appearance and his second start. The 24-year-old Wells faces Detroit in the opener of a three-game series. Wells is pitching on seven days rest after getting his first start last Wednesday on the road against Tampa Bay. He pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and three runs with two walks and seven strikeouts on 93 pitches. He used his fastball for 47...

Can the Orioles produce another ninth inning win? If so, it's going to happen in Detroit, where they begin a four-game series against the Tigers. Austin Hays is in right field tonight with Ryan McKenna in left. DJ Stewart is batting fourth as the designated hitter. Trey Mancini is playing first base and Ryan Mountcastle is on the bench. Domingo Leyba gets another start at second base and Austin Wynns is catching. McKenna's bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning last night was the club's first...

While the Orioles decide what's next for pitcher Keegan Akin, he's just glad to rejoin the team and continue hoping for a more peaceful stretch in his professional life. His failure to make the club out of spring training was followed by a cut left index finger sustained in a kitchen accident in April that ruined a chance to be recalled. He finally made it back to the team and into the rotation and had to be scratched from a July 21 start against the Rays due to his placement on the COVID-19...