As the Orioles look to cut down on their mounting strikeout totals, perhaps the thing they can rely on most of all is track record. Several of their players that are striking out a lot right now show strikeout rates more in line with league average or less, both recently and over their careers. That can provide some hope for a club that has fanned 10 or more times in six consecutive games and 13 or more times in a new major league-record five straight games. After they struck out seven times...

Outfielder DJ Stewart has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list and is in the Orioles lineup tonight and playing left field as they resume their first home series against the Red Sox. Stewart hit two home runs in eight spring at-bats before straining his left hamstring on March 5 against the Blue Jays in Dunedin. He's been working out at the alternate training site in Bowie. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter tonight, Rio Ruiz is playing second base and Chance Sisco is...

Left-hander Patrick Corbin has been reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list and will start tonight's game against the Dodgers, hoping to help the Nationals snap a three-game losing streak during which they've been unable to score for the past 16 innings. Corbin was one of nine players placed on the injured list as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak that spread through the team. He's had mixed results in his career against the Dodgers, posting a 5-9 record through 21 games, including 19...

Victor Robles' attempt to steal second base during the top of the eighth Friday afternoon in Los Angeles was ill-advised, as both the Nationals center fielder and his manager conceded following their 1-0 loss to the Dodgers. As Robles correctly noted, in getting caught trying to swipe second with runners on the corners and nobody out, he failed to recognize who was coming to bat behind him: Trea Turner, Juan Soto and Ryan Zimmerman. Especially Soto, who was in the on-deck circle at the time as...

The Orioles bullpen, which was pretty airtight in the big win Wednesday night at New York, had a few leaks on Thursday afternoon in the home opener in Baltimore. We know the team is heavy on long-relief options, and we're going to find out over time how the late-game relievers hold up and protect leads. So far, right-hander César Valdez had been outstanding in recording two saves and a win. On Wednesday night when the Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman was limited to one inning, the O's...

Until they get their remaining middle-of-the-order bats back from the COVID-19 injured list, the Nationals are going to need stellar performances from their pitching staff and a few clutch hits from a depleted lineup in tandem to emerge victorious. They got the pitching today at Dodger Stadium, most notably from Joe Ross in his 2021 debut. They did not get the one timely hit they needed and thus suffered their second consecutive shutout loss, this one by the agonizing score of 1-0. Despite five...

The Orioles announced one half of a roster move this afternoon, optioning utility player Pat Valaika to the alternate training site in Bowie. How they replace Valaika will be revealed prior to Saturday night's game against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. Outfielder DJ Stewart is expected to be activated from the injured list. He hasn't played since straining his left hamstring on March 5 in Dunedin, but he's working out at Bowie and eligible to return. Valaika is 1-for-9 with a walk and run...

The Nationals will have four of their previously ineligible players in uniform and available for today's series opener at Dodger Stadium, and they could have their No. 3 starter back on the mound for Saturday night's game. Alex Avila, Patrick Corbin, Yan Gomes, Brad Hand and Jordy Mercer all cleared their COVID-19 protocols and flew on a charter from Washington to Los Angeles this morning, manager Davey Martinez revealed during his pregame Zoom session with reporters. All but Corbin have been...

The Orioles are only seven games into their season, but they don't have a reason to second-guess the decision to carry two Rule 5 pitchers on the opening day roster. The risk made sense back in Sarasota and it makes sense further north. Tyler Wells surrendered his first major league home run Thursday, but he also struck out three batters in the inning. Franchy Cordero was fed two changeups and two four-seam fastballs and swung through an 87 mph slider. Wells got swinging strikes on Bobby...

Here's some good news to share as the Nationals prepare to open their weekend series at Dodger Stadium against the 2020 World Series champs: They've got four of the nine players who were sidelined for COVID-19 reasons back on the active roster, including both catchers and their closer. Yes, the Nats announced the activation of Yan Gomes, Alex Avila, Brad Hand and Jordy Mercer from the injured list in time for today's game in L.A. It's not as much of a boost as ideally they could've...