There appear to be two ways to beat the Braves, neither simple. You can try to outslug one of the most powerful lineups in baseball. Or you can try to keep Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman in the ballpark. Again, neither of these is a simple task, as the Nationals have painfully learned over the last week. And because they once again couldn't keep Acuña and Freeman in the yard, and couldn't turn a good night at the plate into a great night at the plate, they suffered another loss to...

A couple of hours before his team was scheduled to open a big series in the Bronx against the New York Yankees, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told us via Zoom interview that his team's demeanor was no different than it had been all year. The game last night would later get rained out, and now this pivotal four-game series will begin with a doubleheader later today and be played out over three days. Just like last weekend, when the Orioles took three of four in Baltimore. "I think we're taking...

No one is going to mistake Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer for carbon copies as pitchers and personalities, but they seem destined to be linked. It's hard to separate them and there's no real motivation to attempt it. Not as long as their talents and energy are so vital to the current playoff run and the future success of the organization. Two highly touted prospects making their major league debuts in 2020. Working back-to-back in the rotation last weekend. Doing it again this week, with Kremer...

Alex Cobb is rejoining the active roster and the rotation. Manager Brandon Hyde said Cobb is expected to start Friday night against the Yankees "if everything works out protocol-wise." The veteran right-hander has been on the injured list, with the assumption that it's been related to COVID-19. "He's been throwing," Hyde said in his Zoom conference call, "so he'll be ready to go." Dean Kremer will make his second major league start on Saturday afternoon and left-hander John Means is...

The Orioles have 18 games remaining in this truncated 2020 regular season. Their last playoff berth came in 2016, but this year they've got a shot to get back into what is an expanded eight-team American League field. The Orioles are pursuing the New York Yankees and the teams begin a four-game series with a doubleheader today at Yankee Stadium. New York holds the No. 8 playoff spot right now in the AL, and here are the Yankees closest pursuers: * New York (22-21)* Orioles (20-22) are 1.5...

During his 16 seasons as a major league player, Davey Martinez wore five different jersey numbers: 1, 3, 14, 17 and 30. And during his decade-plus as a coach and manager, Martinez has worn No. 4. Tonight, when he steps out of the dugout at Nationals Park and lines up for the national anthem before their series opener against the Braves, he'll finally have the No. 21 on his back. With Major League Baseball celebrating Roberto Clemente Day and granting permission for players and other uniformed...

For the first time in his career, outfielder Yadiel Hernández has been promoted to the big leagues. With a roster spot open due to the hamstring injury suffered by Howie Kendrick that landed him on the injured list, the Nationals announced they had purchased the contract of the 32-year-old Cuban-born outfielder. Hernández joined the Nats on Oct. 1, 2016. From 2009-14, he played for Cocodrilos de Matanzas of the Cuban Baseball Federation, joining the league at the age of 21. He also has...

Pat Valaika is getting another start at first base as the Orioles begin an important four-game series tonight at Yankee Stadium. Renato Núñez is the designated hitter. José Iglesias is starting at shortstop again rather than being used as the DH to compensate for a sore left quadriceps muscle. Ryan Mountcastle is the cleanup hitter behind DJ Stewart. Hanser Alberto moves down to eighth in the order. The Orioles trail the Yankees by 1 1/2 games for the final playoff spot in the American...

How do you stop a team that just scored 29 runs last night? By sending your winless No. 5 starter with an 8.26 ERA to the mound, obviously. On paper, tonight's matchup does not appear to favor the Nationals. Austin Voth is pitching, still seeking his first win in his eighth start of the season. And he's facing a Braves lineup that just set a modern National League record last night with 29 runs in a blowout win over the Marlins, a game in which they actually didn't score in either the first...

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of outfielder Yadiel Hernández on Thursday. On Wednesday, the Nationals placed first baseman/designated hitter Howie Kendrick on the 10-day Injured List with a left hamstring strain (retroactive to Sept. 6). Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Hernández, 32, joins the active roster for the first time and his first appearance will be his Major League debut. He was Washington's 2019...