The storylines surrounding this Nationals lineup haven't really changed since spring training. They still need consistent production from big offseason acquisitions Josh Bell and Kyle Schwarber. Trea Turner is showing his sneaky pop is no longer sneaky. Juan Soto is still waiting to break out of his funk to reach the incredibly high standards he's set for himself. And Ryan Zimmerman's return is proving that a year off may have done the veteran first baseman some good as he provides a lethal...

There was still some love in the air between the Cubs and their former teammates who now wear the curly W on their caps Tuesday night. After Kyle Schwarber enjoyed a tribute video before Monday night's game, it was Jon Lester's turn to have his moment after starting last night's game on the mound. He was treated with a tribute video on the big scoreboard at Wrigley Field and was given the famed W flag that flies after Cubs victories covered with signatures and notes from his former...

Matt Harvey stood with his back turned to home plate and his right hand on his hip tonight as Austin Meadows' ball sailed over the center field fence for the second three-run homer of the second inning. The second-shortest start of his major league career was happening before his eyes. He had to look. Though perhaps in disbelief. A bloop single by Brandon Lowe with two outs brought manager Brandon Hyde out of the dugout. The Rays were dinking Harvey to death, too, but it didn't hurt as much...

The latest Orioles transaction this month unfolded yesterday with Rio Ruiz taken off the 40-man roster and Stevie Wilkerson returning to the majors, again transforming a minor league contract into an opportunity. The May movement began on the third with reliever Isaac Mattson recalled from the alternate camp site in Bowie and left-hander Bruce Zimmermann optioned in an exchange of rookies. Mattson was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk five days later, with left-hander Zac Lowther recalled from the...

If you've been anxiously waiting for news on when Stephen Strasburg will make his next start, you're unfortunately going to have to wait at least another day. Having been peppered with questions about the right-hander's status over the last couple of days, Nationals manager Davey Martinez isn't ready to say whether or not his recovering starter will be ready to be activated and make a start this weekend against the Orioles, even after Strasburg threw an "extended" bullpen session today...

After playing half of their 40 games against Boston and the New York Yankees - and going 8-12 - the Orioles will see a different American League East foe tonight. They host Tampa Bay to start a three-game series. The Orioles beat the Yankees 10-6 on Sunday as Ryan Mountcastle drove in a career-high four runs and Maikel Franco hit a two-run homer as part of a three-RBI day. Lefty Bruce Zimmermann got the win in relief, allowing two hits and one run over 5 2/3 innings on 84 pitches. The O's run...

Now that the fanfare, hoopla and ovations for Jon Lester and Kyle Schwarber's returns to Wrigley Field were taken care of Monday night, it's time to get back to just focusing on baseball. Of course, I'm not saying that it wasn't an emotional game, as it was great to see the reception the former Cubs received from their previous club and fans. But that 7-3 loss definitely didn't feel warm and fuzzy as the Nationals left the friendly confines late last night. The Nats now find themselves in...

The removal of infielder Rio Ruiz from the active and 40-man rosters, described today by Orioles manager Brandon Hyde as "extremely difficult," presents an opportunity for Stevie Wilkerson to get regular at-bats at second base. Wilkerson's versatility enables the Orioles to plug him into a variety of positions, but he's likely to get the bulk of the starts at second depending on matchups and his production. Pat Valaika is the other option. "Both of those guys can play different spots also,...

When a player has just four hits over a 13-game stretch, that is a definite slump. But when the same player has three hits, including a homer and double, in the game that follows, that could be a slump breaker. That is the hope and goal for Orioles third baseman Maikel Franco. He went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs Sunday as the O's beat the Yankees 10-6. His two-run homer in the eighth provided some nice late insurance, extending Baltimore's lead from 8-5 to 10-5. Franco hit No. 4 and had...

The Orioles made another adjustment to their infield this afternoon, designating Rio Ruiz for assignment and selecting Stevie Wilkerson's contract from Triple-A Norfolk. Wilkerson returns to the majors for the first time since fracturing his left ring finger in a July exhibition game in Philadelphia. He was batting .357/.438/.476 (15-for-42) with two doubles and a home run in 12 games with the Tides. Ruiz, claimed off waivers from the Braves at the 2018 Winter Meetings, was 15-for-90 (.167)...