The Nationals extended Saturday's sim game into the fifth inning, one inning more than they played on Friday. Left-hander Patrick Corbin was the featured starter, allowing one run over three innings. Innings were stopped when he reached 13-14 pitches. "Pat threw the ball well. We wanted to keep him under 40 pitches, he threw 43, but he said he felt good," said Nationals manager Davey Martinez during a Zoom video call. "So, we will go from there. The biggest thing was get them three ups...

In a world fighting through the coronavirus pandemic, baseball will begin the season with no fans in the stands. So how important is crowd noise to the players and to the coaches? Will there be an advantage or disadvantage in hearing what everyone is saying, having it echo throughout the field and the park? Nationals manager Davey Martinez understands it is a unique situation. The club had hoped to celebrate their World Series title with an opening day banner-raising in front of their adoring...

The Nationals' chances for success in a 60-game season would seem to be bolstered by their top-of-the-line rotation. It's the backbone upon which they built a championship last year and how they've always intended to make a run at another title this year, no matter the length of the schedule. And in Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin and Aníbal Sánchez, they've got as good a starting quartet as there is in the majors. They, of course, won't be making it through this...

Alterations made to the 2020 season haven't changed how outsiders in the industry view the Orioles' chances of contending. However, the club keeps drawing praise for how it's conducted business during and after the shutdown. Refusing to reopen the complexes in Sarasota and Baltimore proved to be wise decisions. And the precautions and protocols at summer training camp are giving players a greater sense of security. "I think our medical staff has been unbelievable with all of this," said...

Alex Cobb had one outfielder behind him tonight as he worked the first inning of an Orioles intrasquad game. So he did the smart thing. He kept the ball in the infield. A wise strategy that he implemented throughout his outing. A couple of grounders and a chopper in the first got Cobb back in the home dugout with minimal effort. A leadoff walk to Chance Sisco in the second was followed by a bouncer, strikeout and ground ball. Richie Martin grounded out leading off the third and Bryan Holaday...

He was not even a non-roster invite to spring training in February, but the guy they call "Big Mike" could make his major league debut during the shortened season of 2020. Right-hander Michael Baumann, who has some of the best stuff on the Orioles farm, was added to the club's 60-man player pool on Friday. The O's list of additions also included their 2019 top draft pick, catcher Adley Rutschman, along with pitchers Keegan Akin and Isaac Mattson, catcher Taylor Davis and outfielder Cedric...

The obvious has become official. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told the media today that left-hander John Means will start the July 24 opener against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Means made his major league debut in Boston in 2018. Means, the club's lone All-Star representative last summer as a rookie, will start the July 19 exhibition game in Philadelphia to prep for the assignment. "I told him yesterday and he's really excited," Hyde said on his daily Zoom conference call. Asked what made...

With only three true exhibition games on their schedule, the Nationals aren't going to get much of an opportunity to build themselves up into regular season shape before opening night arrives July 23. They have to make the most of whatever game-like situations they can draw up in the meantime, such as today's four-inning intrasquad contest at Nationals Park. "I don't feel like these guys are not going to be ready or not be prepared for what's to come," manager Davey Martinez said. "I...

Adam Eaton got to stand in for a couple of at-bats against right-hander Stephen Strasburg in Friday's morning sim game. He jokingly acted like he was going to bunt early on in the first at-bat, smiling as he returned to the batter's box. The right fielder ended up lining out to center field and then later grounded out back to Strasburg. All in all, he was happy to see real-life pitching as summer training reaches its second week. "It was good. Workouts have been smooth, just as all of...

One year and three days after undergoing his second reconstructive surgery on his left elbow, Orioles pitcher Josh Rogers stepped on a half mound at a friend's indoor sports training facility in Sellersburg, Ind., threw a baseball and felt whole again. Didn't really matter that there's no minor league season to shoot for or a definite plan for later in the summer and over the winter. Rogers had battled back again from a serious injury, the kind that can wreck a career. That half mound was...