The Orioles (22-31) will play their final home game of the 2020 season this afternoon when they host the Tampa Bay Rays (35-18) to wrap up a five-game series. The Orioles need a win to avoid a five-game sweep after Saturday night's 3-1 loss. The Birds are 11-9 against National League teams, but 11-22 against the American League, facing only East Division teams this season. They swept Tampa Bay very early in the year, but have since lost six in a row to the Rays. Five of the nine games between...

Some quick-hit news and notes before the Nationals take the field in Miami for the start of today's doubleheader against the Marlins ... * Yan Gomes is behind the plate for the opener, a bit of a surprise because Max Scherzer is on the mound. Scherzer typically pairs up with Kurt Suzuki; in fact, Suzuki caught all 10 of his previous starts this season. "Just wanted to change it up," manager Davey Martinez said during his pregame Zoom session with reporters. "I talked to Max and Yan before...

The Orioles announced the completion of another trade, receiving shortstop Victor González from the Mets as the player to be named later in the Miguel Castro deal. González has been added to the 60-man pool and the Orioles released pitcher Chandler Shepherd from the alternate camp site in Bowie. The pool is holding 60 players. González, 17, was originally signed by the Mets on July 2, 2019, as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He hasn't played...

OK, it's time for the second of three doubleheaders the Nationals have scheduled in a five-day span. Slowly but surely, they're getting through this rough stretch and approaching the finish line of a difficult season. Davey Martinez decided to have Max Scherzer start this afternoon's opener in Miami, thinking he can hopefully get six or even seven innings out of his ace and save his entire bullpen for the nightcap, in which Ben Braymer will start but several relievers will be needed....

Cade Cavalli could justifiably look at the summer of 2020 and be bitter he missed out on his first season of professional baseball. With no minor leagues and no opponents to face, the Nationals' first-round pick could only spend the last two months working out every single day at the club's alternate training site in Fredericksburg, pitching simulated games to the same group of hitters over and over and over. You'll hear no such complaints from Cavalli. If anything, you'll hear nothing but...

The Orioles rotation has gotten younger, but the best news is that it has gotten better in recent weeks. Three rookies have made their debuts in Keegan Akin, Dean Kremer and Bruce Zimmermann. Akin and Kremer have combined to go 2-1 with an ERA of 2.01 in their seven starts. And even at a time when the Orioles are not scoring much, they are 4-3 in those games. Zimmermann gave up five runs in his major league debut. But even adding in that start, the rookies have an ERA of 3.15 over eight starts...

The shuttle carried reliever Evan Phillips to Baltimore for Thursday's doubleheader against the Rays. Then it transported him back to the alternate camp site in Bowie, his status as the 29th man pretty much ensuring that his stay would be brief. He has the route memorized. Phillips was gone, but not forgotten or ignored. The Orioles recalled him again yesterday and he tossed two more scoreless innings. They were intrigued by the four batters faced and four strikeouts on 17 pitches in Game 2,...

In a mathematical technicality, the Orioles remain in the pennant race as they close out the final homestand of the season. The numbers don't shove them to the curb. They also had a shot at finishing .500, but only by winning their last eight games. The final record won't push along the rebuild. The development and impact of Ryan Mountcastle will make a real difference. His presence in the middle of the order. What the young starters do will make a real difference. The young arms in the back...

It's impossible to look at the Nationals' record following tonight's 7-3 loss in Miami and not feel something. Yes, they're now 19-31. That might make you laugh. It might make you cry. It might make you roll your eyes and wonder if the baseball gods have some kind of perverse sense of humor. "Just so you know," Davey Martinez interjected tonight in his postgame Zoom session with reporters, "I really don't like that number. It worked out last year, but I'd rather be 31-19." Fair...

Sam Freeman, one of the early bright spots in the Nationals bullpen during this unusual season, had Tommy John surgery one month ago, manager Davey Martinez confirmed today. Freeman last pitched Aug. 12 in New York, when he motioned for a trainer after feeling a "pop" in his left elbow. He was immediately removed from the game, and though the club's initial diagnosis was a flexor strain in his forearm, Martinez admitted at the time he was worried the injury was more serious. It was. An MRI...