It's challenging for all Major League Baseball organizations. First, to properly develop their prospects and second, to know when the right time is to call them up. Too soon and a player can struggle, lose confidence and start their career maybe questioning whether they belong and can play in the majors. But with left fielder Ryan Mountcastle, pitcher Keegan Akin and yesterday, another pitcher in Dean Kremer, the Orioles' prospects proved to be ready for their moment. When their respective...

Freddie Freeman had no grand slams to his credit prior to the Braves' series this weekend against the Nationals at Truist Park. Now he has two. Atlanta ran away from a close game with four runs in the sixth inning thanks to the second grand slam by Freeman in two days and the Braves dispatched the Nats 10-3. Atlanta blasted 12 homers over the four games. The Nats also walked nine batters in the game, allowing the Braves extra baserunners, and finished 3-8 on the 11-game road trip. Marcell...

Seven Orioles bolted out of the dugout for the start of today's series finale against the Yankees, but Bryan Holaday stayed back and waited for the kid he was going to catch. Holaday stood on the top step, glancing over his shoulder until it was time. And then another piece of the Orioles' future emerged. In the present. With longish hair and flowing confidence. Dean Kremer had finally come out, under a bright blue sky, with Holaday jogging behind him. They separated at the appropriate point,...

Right-hander Jorge López pitched well in an Orioles win on Friday night, lefty Keegan Akin did so in a victory last night and O's right-hander Dean Kremer made an outstanding major league debut this afternoon and got his first major league win. It was a strong display of starting pitching that helped the club to three straight wins. Kremer allowed just one run and hit over six innings as the Orioles beat New York 5-1 to take the last three games against the Yankees. Yep, they were close to...

The Nationals made it official yesterday, announcing a new multi-year contract extension for general manager Mike Rizzo. His previous contract was set to expire Oct. 31. Under Rizzo's guidance, the Nats won the 2019 World Series and earned National League East titles in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017. Rizzo said it is exciting to be able to have the assurance of at least three more years on the job, and news of the extension came as a relief as he continues to work to get the Nats back into the...

Ryan Mountcastle is elevated to the cleanup spot this afternoon as Orioles manager Brandon Hyde makes more adjustments to a lineup that's missing key players to injuries. Renato Núñez and Cedric Mullins remain out of the lineup, with Pat Valaika playing first base today and Mason Williams getting another start in center field. Pedro Severino is the designated hitter and Bryan Holaday is behind the plate. Shortstop José Iglesias is on the bench with a sore quadriceps muscle. His...

Right-hander Dean Kremer will make his major league debut this afternoon as the Orioles wrap of a four-game series with the New York Yankees. A win today would give the Orioles (18-21) a series win and three straight victories over the Yankees (21-18). Kremer was part of the Manny Machado trade of July 18, 2018. The Orioles sent Machado to the Los Angeles Dodgers and in return got Kremer, outfielder Yusniel Diaz, pitcher Zach Pop, and infielders Rylan Bannon and Breyvic Valera. A 14th-round...

Dean Kremer has been recalled from the alternate camp site in Bowie and is making his major league debut this afternoon in the series finale against the Yankees at Camden Yards. The corresponding roster move was made last night with David Hess optioned to the secondary site. Kremer, who's wearing No. 64, came to the Orioles in the Manny Machado trade with the Dodgers. He led the minors in strikeouts in 2018 with 178 in 131 1/3 innings. Kremer was the first Israeli citizen drafted by a major...

The Nationals are seeking a series win today in the final game of four at Truist Park against the first-place Braves. The Nats dropped Atlanta 10-4 Saturday night to win consecutive games for the first time since Aug. 10-11. One reason the Nats find themselves in last place in the National League East is that they went 6-16 between those back-to-back wins. At the start of play Sunday, the Nats trail the Braves by 8 1/2 games in the division and are 6 1/2 games back of the final NL wild card...

It turned into quite a newsy Saturday down in Atlanta. And that was before the Nationals went out and beat the Braves for the second night in a row, winning 10-4 despite the lack of Juan Soto in the lineup and a 3 2/3-inning start from Erick Fedde. Let's run back through some of the most important developments of the day ... * Mike Rizzo's contract extension There was nothing surprising about the announcement of Rizzo's new three-year deal that keeps him as the Nationals' president of...