-1745819772711.png){kind=logo}
The 2021 season was supposed to begin with a three-game showdown between the Nationals and Mets, but of course that entire series in D.C. was postponed following the Nats' COVID-19 outbreak. So the first of 19 meetings between the division rivals takes place tonight at Citi Field in the opener of a three-game weekend series.
Just as they would've on opening day, the Nationals will have to go up against Jacob deGrom tonight. It's never an easy challenge facing arguably the best pitcher in...
Austin Hays in the right fielder tonight, DJ Stewart is in left and Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter as the Orioles begin their homestand against the Athletics.
Trey Mancini is the first baseman and Maikel Franco is in the cleanup spot.
Ramón UrÃas gets the start at second base.
Jorge López retired the first 11 Rangers batters with seven strikeouts in his last start. He's allowed seven runs and nine hits in 7 2/3 career innings against the Athletics.
Oakland left-hander Cole...
The Orioles and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today announced a partnership that will bring free COVID-19 testing to the fans of Birdland during home games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Beginning today, fans can receive a complimentary PCR test at the ballpark's COVID-19 testing site, located along Lower Level Concourse outside Section 26. Fans will also have the opportunity learn about COVID-19 vaccination appointments at the site.
"We know from public health experts that the...
The Orioles today announced that Adrienne Roberson has been named the club's new public address announcer, the first female voice in franchise history. She is the fourth active female PA announcer in Major League Baseball, joining Renel Brooks-Moon (San Francisco Giants), Marysol Castro (New York Mets), and Amelia Schimmel (Oakland Athletics).
"This is a dream come true, and I am honored to be the next voice of Oriole Park at Camden Yards," said Roberson. "To be able to cultivate my...
It's been a while since the Nationals opened a season with a reliable bullpen. How long? Try five years.
Way back in 2016, if anyone can remember ancient history, Dusty Baker's relief corps enjoyed a dominant April. That group ended the season's opening month with a 2.53 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, led by Jonathan Papelbon's eight saves, Shawn Kelley's 0.00 ERA and contributions from the likes of Blake Treinen, Matt Belisle, Oliver Pérez and Yusmeiro Petit.
Yeah, things have changed just a bit...
If we use the stat OPS - on-base plus slugging - the 2020 Orioles look a lot better than the 2021 club. And it's not very close.
Counting all batters - qualifiers and non-qualifiers - the 2020 Orioles had six players with an OPS of .800 or better and two at .900 plus. And another player at .791. This year's club has just two players at .800 or above through 18 games and just four players on the entire club at .704 or above.
Yep, only four players at .704 or above. Yikes. Last year's club had...
The Orioles are back to work tonight, moving past multiple breaks in the schedule this week and beginning a stretch of seven games in a row at home and six straight on the West Coast.
A pause in the middle would have made more sense, but the Orioles play when they're told.
The weekend starters are unsettled. Jorge López goes tonight, but the Orioles are TBD for the next two games.
Dean Kremer was optioned, but left-hander John Means should be starting Saturday on an extra days' rest. Matt...
Today, the Washington Nationals and first baseman Josh Bell announced the start of Josh Bell's Book Club, a monthly book club for adults focused on self-improvement.
Each month throughout the 2021 season, Josh will lead an hour-long, virtual discussion about a book that he has selected to feature in the club. Josh has purposefully chosen books for the club that offer concepts, mindsets, and inspiration for being and becoming better people, reflected in the tagline for the program: "Books....
To suggest the Nationals' season to date has been anything but a disappointment would be inaccurate and a far too rosy view of the situation. Between injuries, pitching blowups, struggling regulars and some really ugly games, there have been a lot of negative developments already in the last 2 1/2 weeks.
And yet, when you consider all that has befallen this team in such a short amount of time, and the stiff competition it has faced through the season's first 16 games, it's not unreasonable...
So the Orioles have played about 11 percent of the 2021 season. That is a sample, but a small one. Can we make any judgments from that? We can, but you run the risk of being wrong.
Well, that's never stopped us before.
At 8-10, the Orioles are playing .444 baseball. That is better than their .417 win percentage from last year when they were 25-35. A team playing at a win percentage of .444 for a full season would go 72-90. That is probably better than many projected. And maybe better than...