The Nationals aren't announcing their pitching plan for Wednesday's doubleheader just yet, for multiple reasons. Including the suddenly unknown status of their ace after he bunted a ball off his face today. Max Scherzer, presumed to be starting one of the games of the day-night doubleheader against the Phillies, was taking batting practice on the field this afternoon when he bunted a ball that then struck his face. The right-hander returned to the clubhouse alongside director of athletic...

OAKLAND - The Orioles started a losing streak on the East Coast and it continued on the West Coast with Monday's 3-2 loss at Oakland. The Orioles were held to just three hits as they lost their sixth in a row. The Orioles (21-51) now have seven losing streaks of at least four games. They have five of four games, one of seven and the current run of six. A loss tonight would tie the season-high loss streak of seven in a row from May 18-24. With the win, Oakland (37-36) moved a game over the .500...

FREDERICK, Md. - The Single-A Potomac Nationals have four players on the active roster for the Northern Division All-Stars in tonight's Carolina League All-Star Classic. P-Nats second baseman Cole Freeman, a fourth-round selection from 2017 out of LSU, is thrilled to be selected for tonight's contest. He is starting at second base and batting seventh in the lineup. "It's a massive honor," Freeman said. "When you break spring training, this is one of the goals as a player you have....

OAKLAND - Several Bay area media outlets were in the Orioles dugout before Monday's game in Oakland. They wanted to interview a local product who is now a major league manager. Orioles skipper Brandon Hyde grew up in Santa Rosa, about 50 miles north of Oakland. He is enjoying a homecoming here this week. He's been in this area previously many times for games, but never as big league manager. He's got plenty of family and friends in the stands for the games in Oakland and will have some...

FREDERICK, Md. - Cody Sedlock's hiatus is about to end, and the right-hander couldn't be happier. Sedlock, who is 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in eight starts for Single-A Frederick this season, will start Thursday at Wilmington when the Keys open the second half of their schedule. It'll be his ninth start of the season, but his first since May 25. "I've been 100 percent for a little bit, for a while," Sedlock said this afternoon before the Carolina League All-Star Classic at Nymeo...

There is at least a 40 percent chance of rain in Washington every hour between 7 p.m. tonight and 11 p.m. Wednesday. The Nationals and Phillies, of course, are attempting to play three ballgames during that window. We'll see how that all works out. For now, we'll just focus on trying to get one game played tonight. The long-awaited series opener between these teams features the same lineups and pitching matchup that were intended to be used last night. That means Patrick Corbin again will...

Left-hander Tim Cate has been promoted from low Single-A Hagerstown to high Single-A Potomac. The 2018 second-round selection out of UConn has gone 4-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 13 starts this season, striking out 73 and walking only 13 in 70 1/3 innings. Here is my sit-down with Cate from spring training, which focused on building from his lower half. "Cate has made tremendous strides from last year to this year with his development of all three pitches, fastballs have been commanded better,...

OAKLAND - When you lose close games there are often plays you needed to make and didn't, timely hits that didn't come or mistakes made that stand out. The Orioles had a few missteps in the opener of a seven-game road trip that they lost 3-2 at Oakland. An ill-advised double-steal attempt ended the top of the first. A throwing error led to two unearned runs in the last of the third. And then there was the offense, or lack of it. The Orioles were held to three singles - just one after the...

The Nationals didn't want to postpone Monday night's series opener against the Phillies. They'd have much rather played as scheduled and not waited out a nearly 3-hour rain delay before calling it and rescheduling a day-night doubleheader for Wednesday. But after waiting through that interminable delay, one that included several rounds of rain but also several rounds of clear skies, the Nats were left with little choice but to postpone. And that means they've now got some tricky pitching...

OAKLAND - This time there would be no late comeback or blown lead late in the game. But there would be another frustrating loss. The Orioles allowed two unearned runs in the third inning tonight and could not back starter Andrew Cashner with much offense. They lost 3-2 to the Athletics in front of 12,345 at Oakland Coliseum to start a seven-game road trip. The Orioles, who have lost eight straight road series, have now lost six games in a row and 10 of 12 to fall to 21-51 overall and to 12-23...