JUPITER, Fla. - The Nationals will get two big bats back in their lineup Saturday. Eric Thames and Victor Robles each are scheduled to return from minor injuries, each serving as designated hitter for the Nats' split-squad games (home versus the Marlins, away against the Mets), according to manager Davey Martinez. Thames hasn't played since Feb. 25 due to left calf tightness, but he has slowly been ramping up activities in recent days and has been cleared to return to the lineup. The big...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The second round of roster cuts for the Orioles this afternoon includes Rule 5 pitchers Brandon Bailey and Michael Rucker, who are being returned to their respective organizations after clearing waivers. Bailey is headed back to the Astros and Rucker to the Cubs. Top prospect Adley Rutschman was reassigned to minor league camp within a series of moves that left the camp roster at 54 players. The Orioles optioned pitcher Dean Kremer and outfielder Ryan McKenna to Triple-A...

JUPITER, Fla. - It's a bit of a transition day for the Nationals as far as the lineup goes. Most of the regulars played last night. And with split-squad games tomorrow, pretty much everyone will play either at home against the Marlins or in Port St. Lucie against the Mets. Which means most of the big names get tonight's game off. The most noteworthy guys in this lineup are Kurt Suzuki and Asdrúbal Cabrera. The rest are fringe players trying to force their way onto the opening day roster or...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Outfielder Ryan McKenna's locker is empty today, perhaps a sign that the Orioles are making more camp cuts. Evan Phillips received a second opinion on his right elbow yesterday from Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, and while no structural damage was found, the reliever said he's going to be shut down for the next two weeks and might not be able to pitch for a month. Phillips will have to begin the season on the injured list. Meanwhile, Renato Núñez is playing first...

Eric Thames sat down with Paul Mancano in West Palm Beach to discuss his days as a player in South Korea.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Daniel Hudson pitched the ninth inning of three postseason clinching Nationals wins last October. He recorded the final three outs of the National League wild card game, preserving a 3-2 victory over the Brewers. He notched the final four outs of the team's NL pennant-clinching win over the Cardinals. And when it came time for the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series, Davey Martinez handed the ball to him and watched as he finished off the Astros and set off a...

The Nationals' core prospect structure is based around starting pitching, and that is exemplified in the selection of right-hander Jackson Rutledge with their first-round draft pick from 2019. Rutledge arrived after a solid season at San Jacinto Junior College in Texas, and fires to the plate from a 6-foot-8, 250-lb. frame. Baseball America has the big right-hander locked in as the Nats' No. 3 prospect for 2020. No. 3 Jackson Rutledge "He's a huge guy," said Baseball America Nats...

SARASOTA, Fla. - One more home run and Orioles infielder Pat Valaika can match the number of times he hit the waiver wire in the offseason. Baseball is such a crazy game. Valaika began yesterday tied with Chris Davis for the lead in Grapefruit League homers with three, including his two-run shot Wednesday off Marlins pitcher Caleb Smith. He's equaled his total with the Rockies in 108 games over the past two seasons. It isn't just the longball. Valaika has seven hits in 19 at-bats and is...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The games down here don't count, so the Nationals could afford to brush off tonight's 11-0 trouncing at the hands of a split-squad Cardinals team as insignificant in the grand scheme of things. And that's probably a fair reaction to a blowout loss on March 5. Really, what conclusions can reasonably be drawn from a game like this? Still, it had to be at least a little concerning for Davey Martinez to watch three of his most important pitchers get roughed up by a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - There is almost certainly no reason to have any concern about a player in spring training after only 18 at-bats. But Orioles outfielder Austin Hays, who had a big spring last year, is batting .111 so far at 2-for-18. He does have four RBIs and he feels like the hits will be coming shortly. He's still penciled in as the center fielder and likely leadoff hitter come opening day, March 26 in Baltimore against the New York Yankees. "I actually feel really good," Hays said before...