The Orioles will take another look at utility candidate Dilson Herrera in left field tonight as they conclude their three-game exhibition schedule against the Nationals in D.C. Herrera played right field and second base last night at Camden Yards. His chances of making the club increased with news that Stevie Wilkerson suffered a fractured bone in his left ring finger. Austin Hays returns to the lineup and is leading off, followed by Hanser Alberto. Anthony Santander, who went 2-for-2 last...

Think back, if you can, to the offseason and one of the most pressing questions facing the Nationals as they prepared to defend their title in 2020: Who was going to replace Anthony Rendon as the No. 3 hitter? There never was a perfect answer to the question, but there were several potential answers, each earning a few weeks in the spotlight before getting replaced by another. Remember when we thought it might be Trea Turner? Forget about his blazing speed, the Nationals shortstop really was...

BALTIMORE - To get a good idea how baseball has changed during the coronavirus pandemic, just take a glimpse inside a quick day trip up Interstate 95 for the Nationals as they took on the Orioles in their second exhibition game of summer training. The Nationals chartered five buses that left Nationals Park starting at 1 p.m. for the scheduled 6:05 p.m. first pitch at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. "Everybody was assigned a bus," said Nationals manager Davey Martinez on a Zoom call. "We had...

He has had not one, but two Tommy John surgeries and pitched in the minor leagues since 2013 before finally getting his first big league chance last September. It went well for Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Cole Sulser. After a very strong finish to his Triple-A season, he made his big league debut that month with 7 1/3 scoreless innings and nine strikeouts for the Rays. Then he was designated for assignment. That might have been a bit surprising, even for the pitching-rich Rays. Sulser can throw...

The Orioles should know later today whether left-hander John Means is making the opening night start at Fenway Park. They can't wait any longer because he'll need to throw for a couple of days without any arm discomfort. Has to prove that he can do it. A dose of good news would lift their spirits. This team is crawling to the starting line. Contingency plans are in place in case Means can't pitch. The Orioles have been prepping for his absence since last week. Withholding Wade LeBlanc from...

BALTIMORE - On a hot, muggy night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Stephen Strasburg didn't hit his usual mid-90s readings on his fastball, but he was consistent for five innings as the Nationals dropped the Orioles 4-2 in an exhibition game. Strasburg ended up throwing 81 pitches over five frames, 52 for strikes. Strasburg allowed one run on six hits with six strikeouts and no walks. His fastball was clocked around 92-93 mph, but his curveball and changeup were solid. The biggest factor was...

Alex Cobb knows the pain of being unable to start on opening day for the first time because an injury ruined the experience. He can sympathize with left-hander John Means, whose assignment in Boston is in jeopardy due to arm fatigue. Cobb isn't a candidate to replace Means because he stood on the mound tonight with baseball in hand and his own, more modest goal, in mind. The Orioles wanted to stretch out Cobb to four innings and never considered the idea of using him on short rest against the...

The Orioles are waiting to find out the results of Stevie Wilkerson's visit today to a hand specialist and should be able to gather more information later this afternoon. Wilkerson had swelling in his left ring finger after making a diving catch last night in Philadelphia. He's become a candidate for the injured list. John Means isn't throwing while trying to work through a dead-arm period. He's just receiving treatment and the Orioles aren't sure about his status for opening day. "John...

With four days left before opening night, the Orioles will play their only home exhibition game tonight at Oriole Park. The Orioles (1-0) host the Washington Nationals (0-1). The same clubs meet at Nats Park on Tuesday night. The Orioles beat the Phillies 5-1 in game that went 9 1/2 innings last night at Citizens Bank Park. Pedro Severino, Cedric Mullins, Pat Valaika and Ryan Mountcastle hit solo homers for the Orioles and Hanser Alberto added an RBI single. Right-hander Thomas Eshelman pitched...

BALTIMORE - The Nationals announced today that Dr. Anthony Fauci will throw out the ceremonial first pitch Thursday on opening night before the nationally televised game against the Yankees. Fauci, the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been seen in public appearances wearing a Nats face mask during the coronavirus shutdown and is a noted Nats fan, attending about a dozen games in person each season and watching another 40-50 on television. A...