While the Orioles are transparent about their primary goals for the 2019 season, outlining the importance of development and talent infusion and devoting a substantial amount of energy toward auditioning players for various roles, they're in a unique position regarding their catching situation. It's common for a rookie or player with limited major league experience and no real track record to be paired with an accomplished veteran, the setup on opening day when the Orioles kept Pedro Severino...

DETROIT - Major League Baseball announced Sunday that Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon and right-hander Max Scherzer have been selected to represent the Nationals in the 2019 All-Star Game, which will be played July 9 in Cleveland. This is Rendon's first All-Star citation in his seven seasons as a big leaguer. His consistency on offense has been evident these last few seasons; he has hit .301 or better each season since 2017. This season, he has been even better, batting .311 with 19...

DETROIT - When at Comerica Park, Max Scherzer usually pitches really, really well. The veteran right-hander spent five seasons with the Tigers, reaching the World Series with them in 2012 and winning the Cy Young for the first time in 2013. He felt right at home again Sunday. In firing 115 pitches, Scherzer allowed only one run over eight innings, striking out 14 as he Nationals won the game 2-1 and the series against the Tigers. Washington has won 10 of its last 13 and gets back above .500...

Rookie left-hander John Means didn't expect to break camp with the Orioles. Didn't expect to crack the rotation and become one of the most reliable pitchers on the staff. Didn't think having to stop inside his manager's office before today's game was leading to good news. The surprises keep coming to Means, who learned today that he's been chosen to the American League All-Star team. The announcement was made on ESPN. Means, 26, will be the only Orioles representative on July 9 at...

After the Orioles scored 26 runs with 14 extra-base hits in the first two games of this series, today they ran into Cleveland right-hander Shane Bieber. And just like last month in Cleveland, they couldn't get much going. On May 19, the 24-year-old Indians pitcher recorded his first career shutout when he beat the Orioles. Today, in his 36th career start, he came up an inning short of his second. The Orioles won a series but failed to complete a sweep as they lost 2-0 to Cleveland on a warm...

The Orioles didn't get greedy. The consecutive shutouts with 13 runs scored in both games, a major league first, had a shelf life. The streak wasn't going to carry through an entire series. Carlos Santana's run-scoring single with two outs in the third ended the Orioles' scoreless streak at 21 innings. The task at hand was finding a way to overcome a small deficit, to reignite an offense that had plowed through Indians pitching. It didn't happen. Santana drove in another run in the...

DETROIT - Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer has won five straight games. Manager Davey Martinez said one reason for the recent hot streak is Scherzer's pitch efficiency. "What stands out to me most is he's not doing it at 120 pitches," Martinez said. "He's getting through with hardly any high-leverage situations. Just kind of getting through the game and keeping his pitch count to about 105, 106 pitches, which is kind of nice." Scherzer has thrown 104 pitches or less in four of his...

DETROIT - Nationals manager Davey Martinez can understand if Max Scherzer's heart is pumping a little faster for today's return to Comerica Park for the first time since 2014. "It's exciting, exciting for him," Martinez said. "He became the Scherzer that we all know here. He's excited to pitch here. I know he is. He's ready to go." The last time Scherzer faced the Tigers was his incredible 20-strikeout performance on May 11, 2016 in a 3-2 Nats win at Nationals Park. Scherzer allowed...

The Orioles won't announce their Monday starter against the Rays until later today. However, Tom Eshelman has been scratched from his start at Triple-A Norfolk and manager Brandon Hyde said his club won't resort to a bullpen game. Sure sounds like Eshelman is the choice, but the Orioles haven't made it official. "We're still figuring some things out and nobody's been told," Hyde said. "The last few days isn't affecting Monday's start." Eshelman, 25, would become the 45th player used...

Dwight Smith Jr. is the Orioles' designated hitter this afternoon and Anthony Santander stays in the lineup in left field for the series finale against the Indians. Trey Mancini is in right field and Chris Davis is playing first base. Chance Sisco, who's homered in back-to-back games, is catching and batting fourth. Stevie Wilkerson replaces Keon Broxton in center field. Jonathan Villar has scored 12 runs in his last 10 games and gone 11-for-34 (.324) with nine walks during that stretch. He...