Though he knew he wouldn't be re-signing with the Red Sox last winter and wound up with the Brewers instead, Brock Holt decided to keep living in his suburban Boston home. So when the veteran utility man was designated for assignment last week, he returned home and decided to enjoy the time with his pregnant wife, Lakyn, and their 3-year-old son, Griffin, while waiting to get a call from another club. The call came Friday from the Nationals, and Holt was eager to join the defending World...

During an otherwise kind of drab 5-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays Saturday night, the Orioles unveiled a 35-year-old right-hander pitching in the big leagues for the first time in over three years. A veteran throwing a huge assortment of off-speed pitches that fooled not only Blue Jays hitters but the Statcast system that tracks pitches and pitch speed. When César Valdez came on with two on and none out to replace Alex Cobb in the fifth, he got three straight outs to strand the runners. He...

Mason Williams is starting in center field today as the Orioles try to break a four-game losing streak. Cedric Mullins is on the bench today in Buffalo. And José Iglesias is the designated hitter, with Andrew Velazquez playing shortstop. Ryan Mountcastle stays in left field. Jorge López is making his first start with the Orioles. Left-handed hitters are slashing .310/.373/.536 against him in 63 career games. López has made three appearances against the Blue Jays and allowed six runs...

The 2020 regular season is now 50 percent complete, and the Nationals have won exactly one series to date. And even that requires an asterisk: They won both of their designated "road" games against the Blue Jays at Nationals Park, which officially counted as its own two-game series even though it immediately followed Toronto's two straight wins in the same park with the Nats serving as home team. Point is, this team simply hasn't been able to get onto any kind of modest roll and at least...

The Orioles will need a starter for Monday's series finale against the Blue Jays. Left-hander Tommy Milone is headed to the Braves for two players to be named later. An industry source has confirmed multiple reports of the deal. The trade deadline is 4 p.m. Monday and Milone became an attractive chip with a 3.99 ERA, only 1.2 walks per nine innings and a career-high 9.5 strikeouts. Milone, 33, agreed to a minor league deal in spring training, made the club and rotation and provided two quality...

After going 5-for-5 Saturday night in the Nationals' 5-3 loss to the Red Sox, Trea Turner is now riding a career-high 14-game hit streak. On Saturday, Turner connected for a ground-rule double in his first at-bat. He followed that up with another double in the third inning. He has four doubles in the series, in a span of six at-bats. Before the sixth inning Saturday night, he had already collected four hits. Here is a rundown of each of Turner's at-bats Saturday at Fenway Park: 1. Double, fly...

During pregame interviews on Saturday, it's pretty clear the Orioles still believe in right-handed reliever Cole Sulser. He has a 3.68 ERA and a 1.091 WHIP in 11 games. He has saved five games, but also has had some big issues late in games, like giving up a two-run walk-off homer to Toronto's Randal Grichuk on Friday night. Darren Holmes, the O's first-year bullpen coach, added a vote of support for Sulser yesterday. "His preparation for each day, he's at the top of the shelf," Holmes...

Trea Turner tied a career high with five hits, but Xander Bogaerts set the tone with a three-run shot off Aníbal Sánchez and the Red Sox made the early offense stand up in a 5-3 win over the Nationals at Fenway Park on Saturday night. Turner went 5-for-5 with two doubles and a run scored. It was his third career five-hit game. "Just be relaxed and getting a good pitch to hit in the zone," Turner said on a postgame Zoom video call. "I felt like I got pitches to hit and didn't miss...

The trade deadline is 4 p.m. Monday and the Orioles haven't made any moves. Alex Cobb and Tommy Milone are still in the rotation. Mychal Givens and Miguel Castro are still in the bullpen. Hanser Alberto is still in the lineup at second or third base. Milone is starting Monday afternoon against the Blue Jays. Could be his last with the Orioles. Cobb made it through last night's game. No one was pulled from the on-deck circle. Is there a hug watch during social distancing? What's happening in...

Randal Grichuk chased a split-change from Alex Cobb tonight in the first inning, the ball diving toward the dirt, shook his head and walked back to the dugout. He looked mortal. Just a guy striking out in a major league game. Nothing to see here, except the Orioles actually kept him in the ballpark. The on-field ceremony was canceled with no fans in attendance to see it. Manager Brandon Hyde had Cole Sulser pitch to Grichuk in the 10th inning last night because of the guy on deck. The guy who...