BOSTON - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said he intends to put Mark Trumbo in Sunday's lineup to close out the season. Left unsaid is how the game also closes out Trumbo's career with the Orioles. He'll decide later whether to retire or pursue a contract with another team. Trumbo is 5-for-25 with three doubles this month since coming off the 60-day injured list. He didn't play in the three-game series in Toronto. Hyde spoke with Trumbo earlier today about the weekend. "He's going to be...

The decision was made a few days ago. And to hear Davey Martinez talk about it, it wasn't that tough of a decision: Max Scherzer will start Tuesday night's National League wild card game. Martinez delivered the news to his ace a few days ago, and his reaction was probably what you assume it was. "I can't exactly say what he said to me, but he was excited," Martinez said with a laugh. "He's ready." Though Scherzer will be on the mound to start the winner-take-all game against either the...

The Washington Nationals announced the winners of the fourth-annual end-of-season awards as voted on by members of the local media. Third baseman Anthony Rendon was voted 2019 Nationals Player of the Year, while right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg was named Pitcher of the Year. Left-handed pitcher Sean Doolittle was given the 'Good Guy' Award, given to a player who is exceptionally accommodating to the media and involved in the community. The players will receive their awards from Mark...

What better way to end Hitting the Books for 2019 than with a book of hope. "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho is on just about every must-read list and its message never wanes - if anything, it is a book for this time of so much angst. I am so happy to have with us Kristen Hudak, the director of public relations for the Orioles, who presents this work and what it means to her. Kristen deals with the hopes and dreams of so many who come through the Orioles system. She sees the search for...

BOSTON - Anthony Santander remains out of the lineup tonight as the Orioles begin their final series of the 2019 season. Santander hasn't played since Monday. He's in a 1-for-23 slump. Dwight Smith Jr. is in left field and batting cleanup. DJ Stewart is in right field. Trey Mancini is playing first base and Chance Sisco is catching. Mancini has hit safely in 12 consecutive games at Fenway Park since May 19, 2018, posting a .340 average (16-for-47) during that stretch. He's slashed...

When the 2019 schedule was announced way back when, this final series featuring an interleague matchup stuck out like a sore thumb. Nobody wants to finish up the season with interleague games, but as long as the two leagues have 15 teams apiece, Major League Baseball has no choice but to do this. So the Nationals and Indians drew the short straw and will face each other this weekend. It's a really important weekend for both teams, of course. The Nationals are trying to secure home field...

The Orioles begin the final series of the year tonight at Fenway Park in Boston. The Orioles come in off Wednesday's 3-2 loss at Toronto and are 3-3 in their last six games, but have lost seven of 10 games. The Orioles (52-107) are 27-51 on the road, 22-51 versus the AL East, 7-17 in September, 15-36 in series opening games, 33-35 when they score first, 5-11 against Boston and 2-5 at Fenway Park. Boston (83-76) won two of three against Texas in its last series, scoring 27 runs, and has...

Ryan Zimmerman started and went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in the Nationals' 6-3 series finale win over the Phillies on Thursday at Nats Park. It was only his third start since Sept. 17. During that span, Zimmerman has come into games as a pinch-hitter or late-inning defensive replacement. Nationals manager Davey Martinez said coming into a game as a pinch-hitter and excelling is difficult proposition. Because instead of having four or five at-bats in a game to get into a groove, you...

Michael A. Taylor has been mostly an afterthought this season, relegated to part-time duties early on, then the minor leagues for more than two months, then relegated to virtually no playing time with expanded September rosters. And yet the 28-year-old outfielder might just have as strong a case as anyone to make the Nationals roster for Tuesday night's National League wild card game. And he might just prove to be quite valuable for a key moment in that game. With a full pitching staff...

While some fans around Birdland often wonder if Trey Mancini will be involved in trade talks this winter, we seem to be getting a different message from the team. The Orioles are obviously thrilled with the season Mancini has had and they respect his leadership. But even though he's had such a strong year, there is a thought that he may even be capable of more, both on offense and with his leadership in the clubhouse. Manager Brandon Hyde has talked with Mancini recently about hitting the ball...