KANSAS CITY - The Orioles (44-89) begin a weekend series in Kansas City tonight at Kauffman Stadium. The O's split two games in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday to start this three-city, eight-game trip. Lefty John Means (9-9, 3.61 ERA) was reinstated earlier today from the family medical emergency list and will start tonight's game. Means allowed one run and five hits over seven innings on Saturday against Tampa Bay in his last start. Over his past two starts, Means has allowed three...

John Means has been reinstated from the family medical emergency list and is starting tonight in Kansas City, where he attended games as a kid. The native of Olathe, Kan., left the team Sunday after holding the Rays to one run over seven innings the previous night. The Orioles kept the matter private out of respect for Means and his family. Reliever Tayler Scott was optioned yesterday to Triple-A Norfolk, opening a spot on the active roster that Means is filling. Means has allowed three earned...

It was good to see Austen Williams back in the Nationals clubhouse during the Orioles series. The right-hander has missed 116 games on the injured list with a sprained right AC joint shoulder injury. He was originally put on the IL on April 19. The Texas State hurler appeared in two games against the Giants April 16-17 and got shelled, allowing six runs on five hits with just one out recorded. Incredibly, his ERA is listed at 162.00. After those games he felt significant shoulder soreness. The...

KANSAS CITY - As the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds charge toward next month's South Atlantic League playoffs we got another reminder this week of how special their pitching staff has been this year. It started Tuesday night with lefty Drew Rom and continued the last two nights with right-handers Gray Fenter and Grayson Rodriguez. The trio combined to pitch 16 no-hit innings, allowing one unearned run with two walks to 24 strikeouts. They seem to be getting better as this season goes on. Behind...

Leaving D.C. behind has allowed the Orioles to get back to a normal lineup. They can use a designated hitter again in Kansas City, which more easily puts Renato Núñez into play. Núñez started at first base Tuesday night against Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin, sending Chris Davis to the bench, and the arrangement could be repeated tonight with the Royals sending lefty Eric Skogland to the mound. Otherwise, Núñez is the DH as he tries to reach 30 home runs for the...

The Orioles released the following statement this afternoon: "In a continuing effort to create the most fan and family-friendly atmosphere in sports, this week at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, crews are extending protective netting at the same height of the existing backstop netting down each foul line to near each foul pole. The Orioles and the Maryland Stadium Authority, in conjunction with Populous and other experts in the field, researched all available options and performed due diligence...

Less than 24 hours after registering his first scoreless appearance with the Orioles, right-hander Tayler Scott has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. The move likely has been made in order to reinstate left-hander John Means from the family medical emergency list and allow him to start Friday night's series opener in Kansas City. Manager Brandon Hyde indicated yesterday that Means could start one of the first two games. Dylan Bundy would start the other game. Means left the club on Sunday,...

The Nationals offense returned to form Wednesday night in an 8-4 win over the Orioles, courtesy the big inning again. The Nats stamped their impression on Baltimore starter Asher Wojciechowski with five runs in the first inning and three more tallies in the fifth inning off of Richard Bleier. Both rallies were highlighted by big hits from veteran catcher Kurt Suzuki. Suzuki slammed a two-run homer to left field in the first frame and then added a two-run double to left field in the fifth...

The Orioles' Hanser Alberto began play Wednesday night ranked fourth in the American League and 10th in Major League Baseball batting .316. If only the teams that waived him over the winter knew he was capable of that. Alberto's .407 batting average against left-handed pitchers is the highest in MLB among qualifying hitters. If only those teams knew he would do that. After a winter that started with him playing for Texas, Alberto was claimed via waivers by the Yankees, then by the Orioles,...

It's been an eventful week for the Nationals. Actually, it's been an eventful month for the Nationals. Actually, it's been an eventful season for the Nationals. And we've almost reached the home stretch. Sunday is Sept. 1. The National League wild card game is Oct. 1. (But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.) There's still plenty of work to be done. The Nats lineup has been on fire (aside from the occasional shutout loss to a random Orioles starter). The rotation continues to lead...