HOUSTON - They've won three elimination games in the last month, twice when trailing by multiple runs in the eighth inning. And that's to say nothing of the uphill climb they faced after opening this remarkable season 19-31 before reaching the World Series. So while there are plenty of reasons to doubt the Nationals' ability to come back from three straight home losses to the Astros over the weekend and now flip the 115th Fall Classic back in their favor the next two nights at Minute Maid...

As the Orioles look to build what executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias has called an "elite talent pipeline," the minor leagues and player development obviously will be critical. On Sept. 16, the Orioles and Elias hired Matt Blood, 34, as their new director of player development. Last November, the Texas Rangers hired him as the club's director of player development. He moved to the role of director of baseball innovation in August. For three years before joining Texas, he...

Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki updated his status for Game 6 of the World Series after sitting out two games with a hip flexor injury. "It's getting better," Suzuki said Monday afternoon before the team's charter left D.C. bound for Houston. "Obviously, got the treatment and stuff like that and it's progressing. We'll see. Going to do some stuff today and we'll figure out more tonight after we get into Houston about tomorrow. Everything is looking good so far." Suzuki, who hit a home...

Whether DJ Stewart is able to compete for a spot on the Orioles opening day roster is a closed matter. The microfracture procedure on his right ankle on Oct. 17 likely prevents him from returning to baseball activities until late in spring training and eliminates him from consideration. A closed matter that opens a door. No one roots for a teammate to sustain an injury or undergo surgery, but Stewart's absence from camp drills and at least the early games increases someone else's odds of...

The Nationals, at least publicly, don't appear to be any closer to knowing today if Max Scherzer will be able to return to pitch in the World Series than they were Sunday after scratching their ace from his scheduled Game 5 start due to nerve irritation and spasms in his neck and upper back. "I haven't yet spoken to Max today. I'm waiting for him to get here," manager Davey Martinez said during a conference call with reporters shortly after 12:30 p.m. "Hopefully, he's a little bit...

The Nationals now move to Game 6 in Houston, down three games to two in the best-of-seven World Series. They face an elimination game versus the Astros on Tuesday night, their fourth of these playoffs. And they have their second ace on the mound in an attempt to survive. Right-hander Stephen Strasburg has been very good this postseason, rolling up a 4-0 record with a 1.93 ERA in five game (four starts). In his first World Series start against the Astros last week, Strasburg allowed just two...

The Astros arrived in Washington, D.C., looking for relevance. They left leading the best-of-seven World Series three games to two and have a chance to win a Fall Classic for the second time in three seasons. "If we win in front of our own fans, it will be special," Astros shortstop Carlos Correa said. "I think I will black out for the first time in my life." Correa hit one of three home runs and Gerrit Cole pitched seven strong innings as the Astros cruised to a 7-1 victory against the...

After Max Scherzer was felled by neck and trapezius spasms early Sunday morning, right-hander Joe Ross was pressed into service as an emergency starter and did his best to keep the Nationals in Game 5 of the World Series. But a pair of two-run homers were more than enough for the Houston Astros, as they took control of the series with a 7-1 victory at Nats Park before 43,910. They now lead the best-of-seven series three games to two. Yordan Alvarez smacked a two-run shot in the second and...

Once the shock of the mid-afternoon news that Max Scherzer wouldn't be starting Game 5 of the World Series tonight wore off, a harsh realization must have crossed the minds of everyone wearing a Nationals uniform: If they were going to pull this off and regain control of the Fall Classic, they were going to have to score some runs. Against Gerrit Cole. And hope Joe Ross and whoever came out of the bullpen tonight could hold the Astros down enough to give them a chance. It was an extremely...

For two straight years, right-hander Dylan Bundy has led all Orioles pitchers in starts, innings and strikeouts. He's been dependable. He takes the ball and gives you all he's got. But Bundy is also 15-30 with an ERA of 5.13 and homer rate of 1.9 per every nine innings over those two seasons. We've certainly seen flashes of Bundy pitching well but there have also been some games when he gives a big number to the opponent. In 2019, the 26-year-old went 7-14 with a 4.79 ERA over 161 2/3...