The first major league start tonight for left-hander Zac Lowther also came with his first jams, runs scored and mound visits. By the time Lowther notched his second strikeout of the evening, he had thrown 49 pitches and surrendered four runs. The game was headed to the bottom of the second inning. The bullpen stayed quiet, with manager Brandon Hyde giving the rookie room to work and grow. A spot start, if that's what it was, didn't come with a short leash. Hyde had to tighten it in the third....

Juan Soto's return to right field in Saturday's 4-3 11-inning loss to the Yankees was a boost to a Nationals club whose offense has struggled to score runs while the slugger was sidelined with a left shoulder strain. Even though Soto has been available as a pinch-hitter for a few days and served as the designated hitter in Friday's win at Yankee Stadium, the Nats need to count on him for four or five good at-bats during every game. Instead, while he rounded into defensive form, they had to...

Snarling, grunting Max Scherzer will stomp around the mound like a predator stalking his prey. But his alter ego - masterful, riveted Max Scherzer, who carves up an opposing lineup - can be just as intimidating and effective. The Yankees saw a little of both versions on Saturday in a 4-3 victory over the Nationals, punctuated by a season-high 14 strikeouts by Scherzer plus a couple of notable achievements in the record books by the ace, who was long gone by the time an infield hit scored the...

For the fourth time since last Aug. 31, the Orioles will send out one of their young pitching prospects tonight for his first big league start. Lefty Zac Lowther, who has put together a very strong minor league resume for the club, will face Boston in the second of a four-game series. When Keegan Akin made his first start last Aug. 31 on the road against Toronto, he allowed two unearned runs over 4 1/3 innings and the Orioles won 4-3 as he got a no-decision. On Sept. 6, 2020, Dean Kremer made...

Earlier today, in partnership with Pepsi Stronger Together, the Orioles hosted a drive-thru event to distribute baseball and softball equipment to Orioles Jr. RBI program participants. The event, which was located at The Food Project in Southwest Baltimore, served over 100 local Baltimore City youth. Equipment included Play Ball plastic bat and ball sets, batting tees, Orioles Jr. RBI t-shirts, and new and gently-used baseball and softball equipment gathered from the Cardboard to Leather...

The Orioles recalled Zac Lowther today, taking him from the alternate training site to the taxi squad to the majors for his first major league start and second appearance. Lowther tossed a scoreless ninth inning in his debut on April 25 against the Athletics at Camden Yards. The No. 11 prospect in the system per MLBPipeline.com was optioned and joined the Orioles for their West Coast trip. A start is needed tonight with Bruce Zimmermann optioned, and Lowther gets the assignment, with a spot...

As Ryan Mountcastle tries to get his bat going consistently, a few recent games and last night's three-hit effort are steps forward for the O's 24-year-old outfielder/first baseman/designated hitter. As his struggles went on in the season's first few weeks, Mountcastle said he tried to draw on last year as a reminder of what he could do. He hit .333/.386/.492/.878. His OPS plus of 139 in 2020 was 39 percent above league average. His current mark there is 64, 36 percent below the league. "I...

Less than two weeks after making his major league debut, right-hander Jay Flaa has been designated for assignment and removed from the Orioles' 40-man roster. Space was required this afternoon after the Orioles claimed left-hander Brandon Waddell off waivers from the Twins and assigned him to Triple-A Norfolk. Waddell, 26, was a Pirates fifth-round selection in the 2015 draft out of the University of Virginia. He's made six relief appearances over the past two seasons and allowed six earned...

Somewhere between Yankee Stadium's unique configuration and Juan Soto's eagerness to return to the outfield, Nationals manager Davey Martinez thinks he's seen enough progress from Soto's strained left shoulder to put the slugger back in right field for today's matinee against the Yankees. Soto, who served as the designated hitter Friday night and contributed a two-run homer in the ninth inning of the Nats' 6-2 victory, passed the final hurdle before Friday's game by showing he could...

Today, the Washington Nationals announced that first baseman Josh Bell has been named the Player Ambassador to the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, the signature program of Nationals Philanthropies, the official charitable arm of the Nationals. In this position, previously held by Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon, Josh will play an important role in representing the Youth Baseball Academy in the Nationals clubhouse and the D.C. community. He will support the work of the Academy by making regular...