The Orioles have created another opening on their 40-man roster as part of their early offseason business. Pitcher David Hess cleared waivers today and entered the free agent market, according to an industry source. Hess, 27, made three relief appearances this summer and allowed five runs and 10 hits in seven innings. He's 4-20 with a 5.86 ERA and a 1.466 WHIP in parts of three major league seasons covering 190 1/3 innings. Young pitching prospects Keegan Akin, Dean Kremer and Bruce Zimmermann...

The changes in the 2020 baseball season have touched the arbitration process. Sides that can't reach an agreement will argue how statistics should be interpreted in a truncated season. Teams are going to stick with the 60-game output, while agents are going to extrapolate - projecting figures over 162 games while attempting to squeeze out a few more dollars. Getting blood from a rock would be easier. There's an assumption circulating through the industry that more players are destined to be...

The Orioles are bringing back six players on minor league deals who were members of the organization this summer. The re-signing of super-utility player Stevie Wilkerson was finalized on Saturday and announced this afternoon. Joining Wilkerson are infielder Ryan Ripken, the son of Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., catcher Taylor Davis, and right-handers Marcos Diplán, Mickey Jannis and Ofelky Peralta. Wilkerson missed the 2020 season due to a fractured left ring finger, an injury sustained in a...

Our offseason player review series continues today with Howie Kendrick, who faces a big career decision after becoming a free agent Wednesday. PLAYER REVIEW: HOWIE KENDRICK Age on opening day 2021: 37 How acquired: Traded from Phillies for McKenzie Mills and international bonus slot money, July 2017 MLB service time: 14 years, 91 days 2020 salary: $4 million (prorated $1,481,481) Contract status: Free agent after Nats declined $6.5 million mutual option (paid $2.25 million buyout) 2020 stats:...

The Los Angeles Dodgers and pitcher Clayton Kershaw are finally celebrating a World Series victory, the franchise's first since 1988, the year the Dodgers beat the Oakland Athletics. Dodgers infielder Justin Turner tested positive for COVID-19 and is under investigation by Major League Baseball for joining teammates in the on-field celebration. How fitting is that for the coronavirus season? So what's next? There's always second-guessing, trade and free agent talk, and discussion about how...

Lefty Blake Snell was cruising. In a game the Tampa Bay Rays had to win, he was dominating the Los Angeles Dodgers and trying to pitch the Rays to Game 7 of the World Series. Then, in a span of just four pitches in the sixth inning, he was out of the game. He had not given up a run, his team had a 1-0 lead, the hitters coming up had not touched him that night. He had swing-and-miss stuff, but he was gone. Soon after, so was the Rays' lead. Los Angeles moved ahead 2-1 against the Rays bullpen...

The Nationals finalized their 2021 coaching staff today, filling the one vacancy that hadn't yet been publicly announced with one of the longest-tenured members of their organization. Randy Knorr, who has been a player, coach or minor league manager with the Nats franchise since 2001 in Montreal, will join the big league staff for the fourth time in the last decade-plus, serving as first base coach for the first time. Bob Henley, after a one-year stint at first base, will move back to the...

The Washington Nationals announced the remainder of their 2021 Major League coaching staff on Wednesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo and Manager Dave Martinez made the joint announcement. * Tim Bogar - Bench Coach * Randy Knorr - First Base Coach * Kevin Long - Hitting Coach * Jim Hickey - Pitching Coach * Henry Blanco - Bullpen Coach * Pat Roessler - Assistant Hitting Coach Bogar, 53, returns for his fourth season on Dave Martinez's staff, his...

The Orioles' fall instructional camp closed yesterday following a game against the Pirates. Precisely as planned, with no COVID-related issues to complicate or interrupt the proceedings. The majority of the 55 players participated in alternating games versus the Rays and Pirates. The others were able to log innings and at-bats in intrasquad games at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, Fla. Director of player development Matt Blood boarded a flight back to Baltimore yesterday afternoon....

The end of the World Series last night meant the start of the offseason today, and the Nationals wasted no time making the first of many consequential decisions they'll face during what should be a busy winter. The Nats declined to pick up the 2021 contract options they held on Adam Eaton and Aníbal Sánchez and declined to pick up their portions of the 2021 mutual options on Howie Kendrick and Eric Thames. All four veteran players immediately become free agents and are allowed to begin...