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...

The Orioles tonight begin their third and last stretch of 20 games that will complete the shortened 2020 regular season. They also begin their next-to-last road trip of the year. They play the New York Mets the next two nights at Citi Field, then move to Yankee Stadium for four games starting Thursday. The Orioles (19-21) and Mets (19-23) split two games last week in Baltimore. The Orioles won the series opener 9-5 and lost the next night 9-4. The Orioles have won three in a row and five of...

Chris Davis is back on the Orioles' active roster, but he isn't in their lineup for tonight's game against the Mets at Citi Field. Pat Valaika is playing first base and Renato Núnez is the designated hitter. Núñez has been receiving treatment for a sore hamstring and missed the last two games. José Iglesias moves up to second in the order after batting third this season. Davis hasn't played since Aug. 19 and has two hits in his last 23 at-bats. "Chris, the last few days, has...

The Orioles have reinstated first baseman Chris Davis from the 10-day injured list and designated utility player Dilson Herrera for assignment. Davis traveled with the team to New York yesterday after working out again at the alternate camp site in Bowie. He played in a simulated game on Saturday to test his injured knee. The Orioles placed Davis on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 21 with left knee patellar tendinitis. He was slashing .122/.173/.184 with three doubles, three walks and 16...

The latest pitcher the Orioles wants to take a look at to see if they can tap into talent that must be there somewhere is right-hander Carson Fulmer. On July 25, Detroit claimed him off waivers from the Chicago White Sox, the club that had drafted him. On Aug. 24, Pittsburgh claimed him from Detroit. On Saturday, the Orioles claimed him from Pittsburgh. That is four teams for Fulmer since late July. Quite a wild ride for a player that had a brilliant college career at Vanderbilt and was drafted...

Juan Soto is back in the Nationals lineup tonight, a welcome relief from a group that missed its best hitter for five games. But the club is still being cautious with Soto, who will be restricted to designated hitter duties tonight against the Rays while recovering from a sore left elbow. "We kind of want to keep him from throwing right now," manager Davey Martinez said during his pregame Zoom session with reporters. "He swung yesterday. I told him: 'Just see if you can hit. We'll let you...

The 2020 regular season, believe it or not, is now two-thirds complete. There are only 20 games left for the Nationals to try to climb their way back into the expanded postseason, and the odds remain awfully slim. At 15-25, they're currently five games behind the .500 Marlins and Giants for the eighth and final berth in the National League field. To get to .500, the Nats would need to go 15-5 the rest of the way. Maybe they'd get in a game or two under .500, but you get the idea. It's going...

Right-hander Will Harris was hoping to start returning to normal, and after two quick outs in the top of the ninth inning Monday night, the Nationals reliever was doing just that. In August, Harris had a 0-1 record with a 1.50 ERA in six appearances. His ERA jumped to 3.12 after giving up a run on two hits on Sept. 3 versus the Phillies. After the game, Harris said that he didn't quite have the best feel for the baseball that night. Against the Rays, Harris dispatched Yoshi Tsutsugo on a...

Kurt Suzuki has caught more than 1,400 games over 14 major league seasons, so he knows what he's getting himself into every time he squats behind the plate. It's going to be painful at times, and there's nothing he can do about that. But it does seem like the 2020 season has been exceptionally painful for the Nationals catcher, who on a nightly basis has been taking errant pitches and foul balls off every corner of his body, protected or unprotected. "I feel like as I've gotten older,...