Top Nationals pitching prospects Cade Cavalli and Jackson Rutledge continue to get their work in at the alternate training site in Fredericksburg, Va., under the direction of minor league pitching coordinator Brad Holman and the coaching staff. Rutledge is currently ranked No. 3 and Cavalli No. 4 in the latest MLBpipeline.com top 30 Nationals prospects list. "Well, obviously both those guys are extremely talented," Holman told me. "I can't say enough about either one of them. They are...

As part of the club's ongoing efforts to serve and strengthen the community during the current pandemic, the Orioles announced today that they have partnered with All Faiths Food Bank to host a series of mass food distribution events at Ed Smith Stadium. The events will take place on the second Saturday of each month from September through December, with the first event being held on September 12. Future events will be held on October 10, November 14, and December 12. Each distribution event...

The Nationals have placed Howie Kendrick on the 10-day injured with a left hamstring strain, a decision that seemed more and more likely in recent days as the veteran hitter struggled to get himself in the lineup. Kendrick did not play in either of the Nats' two wins over the Rays to begin the week after sitting out Sunday's series finale against the Braves. He missed a week in mid-August with what manager Davey Martinez described as "sore hamstrings," apparently debilitating enough that he...

In the Nationals' two-game sweep of the first-place Tampa Bay Rays to begin this week, a pair of recently acquired veterans played big parts in the club's success in generating offense. Brock Holt went 4-for-8 with two doubles and two runs scored. Josh Harrison added two hits, going 2-for-7 with a walk, a run scored and two RBIs as the Nats beat the Rays 6-1 and 5-3. On Monday, as Juan Soto, Luis García and Howie Kendrick sat out with injuries, manager Davey Martinez opted to put Holt in...

Step by step, Sean Doolittle is rediscovering the form that made him one of baseball's most effective relievers in recent seasons. And that's in part because of the near-step he's brought back to his delivery. After a summer of diminished velocity, gaudy stats and plenty of tinkering, Doolittle is finally starting to look like his old self again. He hasn't allowed an earned run in five appearances since returning from the injured list and a rehab stint at the Nationals' alternate training...

It is a scenario that probably the most enthusiastic and exuberant Orioles fans among you could not have imagined: The 2020 Orioles knocking the New York Yankees out of the playoffs. Remember before the season, when some fans wondered if the Orioles could contend in a shortened season with expanded playoffs? Well, those two factors have combined to see the Orioles indeed as contenders with 19 games to play. Through last night's games, every team that is playing .500 baseball would qualify for...

A season that was in danger of stalling before it could move forward, and with its COVID postponements, unique doubleheaders and occasional designations of home teams as visitors, is down to the final 19 games for the Orioles. The odds of getting this far didn't appear promising, but it's happened. The Orioles are in the midst of their penultimate road trip, with the last homestand beginning next week. And they remain in playoff contention, defying another set of odds. Tabbed as the worst...

Brandon Hyde isn't being coy or playing mind games with the opposition before his team hits the field for the actual competition. The second-year Orioles manager would like to post his lineup early - or at a reasonable hour. However, he has to wait until making the rounds in the clubhouse and during batting practice. Checking whether his day-to-day guys are full-go at night. Renato Núñez didn't play in the last two games due to a sore hamstring. Hyde was able to write in his name as the...

The Orioles just completed a 4-2 homestand where they hit well and pitched well for the most part. Both continued tonight as they recorded an impressive 11-2 win over the New York Mets. It was a strong start to an important six-game road trip. The trip began with the Orioles trailing the Yankees by 1 1 /2 games for the No. 8 American League playoff seed. But when New York lost 2-1 tonight to Toronto, the Orioles pulled within a half-game of a playoff spot with 19 games to play. The Yankees are...

These are not the 2019 Nationals. Not in name and not in style of play. Most likely, they won't finish the season like their 2019 version did, either. But for now, that's not worth stressing over. Instead, take a step back and just appreciate what this ever-changing 2020 Nationals club is now doing. They don't have the star power - or the offensive power - of their World Series champion predecessors. But over the last week, they're finally starting to play with some passion. They're...