Victor Robles is convinced he'll be ready for opening night. The Nationals have four days to decide if they concur. Robles, who was cleared to participate in workouts Saturday for the first time this summer, said today that despite his lack of baseball activities while in quarantine, he expects to be good to go for the Nats' season opener against the Yankees. "Absolutely. I think I have the ability and the youth that helps me get ready quickly," the young center fielder said, via...

The Orioles will play their first summer training camp exhibition game tonight with Austin Hays leading off and Pat Valaika handling the shortstop position at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. José Iglesias' exclusion from the lineup is the only surprise. He didn't play in last night's final intrasquad game and received treatment for a sore back earlier in camp. Hanser Alberto, who's been a presence at the top of the lineup in intrasquads, is lowered to sixth tonight. DJ Stewart is...

Beyond the players that are in Bowie or Baltimore on the 60-man player pool, the Orioles would love to get some of their minor league players on the field in some way this year. The regular minor league season has been canceled, but the club is hoping there will still be a chance for players to work out and perhaps play intrasquad games. During a Zoom interview with reporters this morning, Orioles director of player development Matt Blood was asked if such a plan is in place. "Definitely...

Given an opportunity to write out what may very well be his opening night lineup for Saturday's exhibition opener, Nationals manager Davey Martinez included one mildly unexpected name: Asdrúbal Cabrera. Two weeks after suggesting rookie Carter Kieboom would be his everyday third baseman for this shortened season, Martinez offered a clue that probably won't be 100 percent true. Cabrera, not Kieboom, got the nod against the Phillies and appears the likely choice to start Thursday against the...

The only way to cool down José Iglesias in summer training camp is to offer him a seat in the dugout and keep him there. Point the big fan at him. Assuming those kind are permitted inside the ballpark. Iglesias brought a stellar defensive reputation to the organization after signing over the winter. One plus is inadequate when describing him. He's treating camp as if trying to make a point about other facets of his game. Don't sleep on the bat. Iglesias collected three more hits in Friday...

They stretched and played catch in the outfield, just like they always do. Max Scherzer warmed up in the bullpen, just like he always does. After a moment of silence for late Rep. John Lewis, everyone lined up and listened to the national anthem, just like they always do. And then, as pump-up music blared over the sound system and PA announcer Jerome Hruska introduced the Washington Nationals, the defending World Series champions took the field to face an opposing team at Nationals Park for the...

The Orioles played their final intrasquad game tonight at Camden Yards. Major League Baseball keeps chugging forward in its quest to begin the 2020 season. For the Orioles to reach opening day against the Red Sox, they first must play three exhibition games and hold a workout Wednesday in Baltimore. They'll head to Boston the following day. They aren't out of the woods, but they're almost ready to leave Maryland. Tonight was more of a scrimmage with crowd noise piped in but no player...

The final missing piece of the Nationals lineup has joined the club at last. Victor Robles was spotted in the home dugout during tonight's exhibition opener against the Phillies, the center fielder having completed his District of Columbia-mandated quarantine more than two weeks after Nats summer training opened. Robles was part of a large group of Nationals players that traveled to Washington from the Dominican Republic, one of whom tested positive for COVID-19 during Major League Baseball's...

We are now days away from the start of a Major League Baseball season unlike any other. Teams will play 60 games and the Orioles will open Friday night at Boston. They'll play three at Fenway Park and then two games in Miami before the home opener on Wednesday July 29, also against Miami, at Oriole Park. So this is our last offseason edition of 10 questions. Answer one or all and feel free to respond to other readers' opinions. That makes the blog go around and keeps it fun. And bring on...

Just as the Orioles managed to fill out their summer camp roster with outfielders Anthony Santander and Dwight Smith Jr. returning to Camden Yards this week, they've become unsure about the availability of their No. 1 starter on opening day. Left-hander John Means has been scratched from Sunday night's exhibition game against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park due to a fatigued arm. Thomas Eshelman will make the start. Manager Brandon Hyde announced the switch this afternoon in his Zoom...