Baseball folks don't like to talk about momentum, because they've been doing this long enough to understand that what happened in recent days doesn't necessarily portend what will happen tonight. The Nationals had every reason to enter their series opener with the Braves feeling like they held the upper hand, based on their four-game winning streak, Atlanta's four-game losing streak and everything that transpired to make both events possible. Of course, it doesn't actually work like that....

The minor league rotations are taking shape, which leaves the Orioles to figure out what to do with their own. Rookie Bruce Zimmermann has been removed from it, with the club optioning him Monday night. A very similar move to the one executed with another rookie, Dean Kremer, following his start on April 17 in Texas. Kremer was coming off his finest outing. The first start after the Orioles recalled him was his worst, with six runs and 10 hits allowed in 4 1/3 innings, but he was outstanding...

Enjoying a good road trip with three wins in four games, the Orioles look for another victory when they play at Seattle tonight in the second of a three-game series. The Orioles were being shut out through seven innings and down 1-0 last night when they erupted for a five-run eighth and a 5-3 win. Cedric Mullins and Freddy Galvis hit two-run homers. It was No. 5 for Mullins and No. 3 for Galvis. The Orioles can get back to the .500 mark for the first time since April 10 with a victory tonight....

No longer in the Orioles rotation or on their active roster, rookie left-hander Bruce Zimmermann is reporting to Triple-A Norfolk and tasked with getting back to the majors after he's eligible to return. The Orioles optioned Zimmermann to the alternate training site last night and recalled reliever Isaac Mattson. The camp is shut down with the minor leagues starting tonight and Zimmermann is listed on the Tides roster. Zimmermann isn't immediately available after throwing 87 pitches Sunday...

DJ Stewart is back in the Orioles lineup tonight as they resume their series in Seattle. Stewart was scratched last night with lower back stiffness and multiple changes in positions brought Pat Valaika off the bench. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter. Chance Sisco is catching. Rio Ruiz gets the start at second base. The Orioles are 14-15 overall and trying to reach .500 for the first time since April 10. They're 10-5 on the road. Jorge López is 1-3 with a 7.48 ERA and 1.431 WHIP in...

With Minor League Baseball opening a new season tonight, here is a look at where Orioles prospects on the MLBPipeline.com top 30 are beginning the new season. Triple-A Norfolk leads the way with a roster currently holding eight top 30 prospects, while Double-A Bowie, high Single-A Aberdeen and low Single-A Delmarva have five each. Norfolk: (9) Yusniel Diaz, (10) Keegan Akin, (11) Zac Lowther, (15) Ryan McKenna, (19) Jahmai Jones, (20) Alexander Wells, (23) Rylan Bannon, (24) Tyler Nevin. Bowie:...

Juan Soto is back on the Nationals roster, just not in their lineup. Will Harris is back in their bullpen, and hoping he will remain available as much as he's needed. With a pair of mid-afternoon transactions today, the Nats moved closer to full strength. They're still missing Stephen Strasburg and Wander Suero, but for now, this is a significant step in the right direction. Soto, of course, is the biggest addition. The star slugger was activated off the 10-day injured list in time for...

The Washington Nationals reinstated right-handed pitcher Will Harris and outfielder Juan Soto from the 10-day Injured List on Tuesday. Additionally, Washington optioned right-handed pitcher Kyle McGowin to Triple-A Rochester and designated Hernán Pérez for assignment on Tuesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Harris, 36, returns to the active roster after missing the first 24 games with right hand inflammation. Harris went...

The Nationals have clawed their way back to the .500 mark, sweeping the Marlins over the weekend. Their next challenge is climbing over that mark and staying there, against some stiffer competition: the Braves. The three-time defending National League East champs are back in town for their second visit of the season already. They took two of three in the season-opening series on South Capitol Street, sweeping a 14-inning doubleheader after the Nats won in dramatic fashion on opening day. Things...

Mike Baumann's exclusion from a break-camp roster is the result of lingering discomfort in his right arm, leaving one of the top pitching prospects in the Orioles organization at extended spring training in Sarasota, Fla. Baumann, ranked No. 8 by MLBPipeline.com and Baseball America, was shut down last summer at the alternate camp site in Bowie due to a right flexor strain. He was able to throw in spring training, though not competitively. The Orioles placed Baumann on the 40-man roster in...