Both Orioles catchers are in the lineup tonight in the Bronx, with Chance Sisco serving as the designated hitter and batting ninth against Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole. Anthony Santander is in right field after sitting out last night's 7-0 loss. Ryan Mountcastle remains in left field and is hitting cleanup. Rio Ruiz starts at second base for the fourth time in five games. Ryan McKenna is on the bench after making his major league debut last night and going 0-for-2 with a walk. He replaced...

Ticketed to start the 2020 season at Triple-A Norfolk, outfielder Ryan McKenna, like all minor league players, didn't get in any games last summer. He spent a lot of time putting in quality work at the O's alternate site and trying to improve his game. He was on the taxi squad a few times, traveling with the Orioles, but never made the active roster. Yesterday he did. When Austin Hays went to the injured list, the 24-year-old McKenna was activated. And then he got a start. Before he's ever...

The Orioles basically are scattered in three areas this month, with the team in New York for the first road trip of the season, minor league players reporting to the Sarasota complex for the next wave of spring training and a group working out at the alternate camp site in Bowie. Outfielder Heston Kjerstad remains on the outside. The plan calls for him to skip spring training and go directly to Prince George's Stadium, but he hasn't been cleared to participate. Kjerstad was the second overall...

The Nationals have unveiled their opening day roster, and as expected, it's missing a whole lot of prominent veterans. Though not Trea Turner. The club's 26-man roster does not include Josh Bell, Kyle Schwarber, Josh Harrison, Yan Gomes, Alex Avila, Patrick Corbin, Jon Lester, Brad Hand or Jordy Mercer. All were officially placed on the injured list, with no reason or timeline given. Only four of them actually tested positive for COVID-19; the others were deemed close contacts either by Major...

The day has arrived. At last. It required four postponements, four positive tests for COVID-19, nine other players and staff members placed into quarantine and three straight days of negative tests for everyone else, but the Nationals are finally going to open their 2021 season this afternoon. They will do so not against the Mets, but the Braves, who already are 0-3 after a rough weekend in Philadelphia. And they will do so not with the lineup anybody anticipated a week ago, but with a batting...

The Washington Nationals announced the following roster moves on Tuesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. * Placed right-handed pitcher Will Harris (right hand inflammation) on the 10-day Injured List retroactive to March 29. Washington also placed catcher Alex Avila, first baseman Josh Bell, left-handed pitcher Patrick Corbin, catcher Yan Gomes, left-handed pitcher Brad Hand, infielder Josh Harrison, left-handed pitcher Jon...

The Washington Nationals will celebrate Opening Day and their first home game of the 2021 season on Tuesday, April 6 when the team hosts the Atlanta Braves. The game will be aired on MASN2, with first pitch scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET. The game will also be broadcasted on 106.7 The Fan FM. In accordance with CDC recommendations and MLB protocols, the Nationals will implement appropriate social distancing and safety measures that will allow Nationals Park to host 5,000 fans on Opening Day....

The Orioles today announced that Adam Esselman has been promoted to Manager, Baseball Communications. Esselman will manage the day-to-day operations of baseball communications, including gameday communications, game notes, and player and coach interviews, and will serve as the primary communications representative while the team is on the road. The 2021 season will mark Esselman's fifth with the Orioles and seventh in professional baseball. Esselman was promoted from Senior Coordinator of...

The Orioles today announced that Adam Esselman has been promoted to Manager, Baseball Communications. Esselman will manage the day-to-day operations of baseball communications, including gameday communications, game notes, and player and coach interviews, and will serve as the primary communications representative while the team is on the road. The 2021 season will mark Esselman's fifth with the Orioles and seventh in professional baseball. Esselman was promoted from Senior Coordinator of...

This past week has been difficult for everyone associated with the Nationals. For the four players who learned they tested positive for COVID-19, for the nine players and staff members who were forced into quarantine because they were deemed close contacts, for all the others who were nervous about their teammates' and their own health. And then there's Max Scherzer, who endured though a completely different kind of agony. The Nationals ace knew he wasn't in danger of contracting the virus,...