The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Joe Ross from Triple-A Fresno and optioned infielder Adrián Sanchez to Double-A Harrisburg on Friday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Ross, 26, returns to the Nationals after going 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA (5 ER/17.0 IP) in four starts for the Fresno Grizzlies. He struck out 10 batters, issued three walks and allowed just one home run across his four Triple-A starts. He tossed...

This week's series against the Phillies was big. This weekend's series against the Braves might be even bigger. The Nationals are feeling good about themselves after sweeping Philadelphia and winning 17 of 24. But now they face the hottest team in the majors, the one now comfortably in first place in the National League East. The good news: The Nats are 2-0 against the Braves this season, having swept a quick series at SunTrust Park three weeks ago. But they're facing a bit of a different...

SEATTLE - It is kind of a cycle the Orioles can't seem to get out of right now. At some point, all the losing was bound to take a toll on everyone in Birdland - and that includes the players. We have reached that point. The losing streak has reached nine and the longest of the year in the majors by any team is 10. Can the O's win tonight to avoid that? It will be tough. When John Means went to the injured list yesterday, that meant the Orioles were going to use a bullpen game tonight. Those...

SEATTLE - So the Orioles are due for a win. Will tonight be the night? They play the Seattle Mariners in Game 2 of a four-game set at T-Mobile Park. Going into last night's series opener Seattle (33-46) had gone 33 games without winning two in a row, but that run ended with their 5-2 victory Thursday night. The Orioles have the longest run in the majors this year without back-to-back wins, a current streak of 40 straight games dating to May 4-6. The Orioles (21-54) have now lost nine straight...

SEATTLE - Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy looked like he was on his game. He gave up one run and three hits through five and had a 2-1 lead on Seattle. But the Orioles couldn't add to that lead and they finally fell behind in the sixth inning last night. It was another night without much offense and without a quality start for the ninth time in 10 games as Seattle beat the Orioles 5-2 to open a four-game series. The losing streak reached nine in the opener of a four-game series at T-Mobile...

SEATTLE - With the Orioles offense not producing much lately, there is more pressure on the pitching staff on this road trip. For right-hander Dylan Bundy, who was throwing a gem, it came apart tonight in the last of the sixth. Working with a lead, but just by a 2-1 score, Bundy and reliever Evan Phillips saw Seattle put up three to win 5-2 in the opener of a four-game series. The Orioles extend their longest losing streak of 2019 to nine games to fall to 21-54 overall and 12-26 in road games....

It would not be accurate to refer to the Nationals as a "good defensive team." They still rank close to the bottom of the majors in every defensive metric, both traditional and new-age. But it would be accurate to say the Nationals are playing much better defense right now than they did through the season's first two months. Back then, it felt like they failed to make one or two plays every night that directly contributed to a loss. Right now, it feels like they're making one or two plays...

The Nationals starter Erick Fedde battled to stay in the game Thursday, but his command was so off that the right-hander was unable to get through the fourth inning. His bullpen and the Nationals offense helped him along as the club topped the Phillies 7-4. Fedde lasted only 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with a season-high five walks and one strikeout. The 84 pitches thrown recorded only 11 outs. The most eye-popping trend recently has been the 14 free passes allowed in his last...

Highlighted by a 1-2-3 inning from a big league veteran, the Nationals bullpen helped save the day again in a 7-4 win over the Phillies that completed a three-game sweep. Starter Erick Fedde did not have the control he had hoped for with five walks in 3 2/3 innings. Matt Grace struggled a bit, allowing a run on a solo homer to Jean Segura, but did record four outs. In came Javy Guerra, who notched a shutout inning in the sixth to earn the victory. Tanner Rainey gave up a Jay Bruce solo homer,...

They knew at the outset this was a big week, and they didn't shy away from admitting that. And though they had to wait through two rainouts and watch as one of the games was rescheduled for late September, once the Nationals finally took the field against the Phillies, they got down to business and played like their season depended on it. Which, it's not unfair to say, it probably does. In that regard, there's nothing bad you can say about what transpired at Nationals Park over the last 36...