Last year, the Nationals selected high school pitcher Mason Denaburg with the 27th overall selection in the First-Year Player Draft. The two-sport right-hander came into the draft recovering from biceps tendinitis, but hit the ground running in spring training. He was making very good progress and was healthy and strong in March. I sat down with him to talk about his experiences during first spring training experience. So would the Nationals go to a high school pitcher again with the 17th...

Looking for a series win for the first time in more than a month, the Orioles (17-38) host the Detroit Tigers (20-32) tonight in the rubber match of this series. The Orioles won 5-3 Monday and lost 3-0 last night, their ninth loss in the last 11 games and 16th in the past 20. Before this series, the Orioles had a seven-game stretch where they scored 43 runs on 74 hits with 11 homers and batted .356 with runners in scoring position. In these two games, they've scored five runs on 13 hits while...

ATLANTA - In their ongoing search for more bullpen help, the Nationals are taking a flier on veteran Jonny Venters, hoping the former Braves lefty can rediscover the form that made him effective last season but eluded him this year. The Nats signed Venters to a minor league contract and assigned him to Double-A Harrisburg, where he'll attempt to get himself on track and perhaps merit a promotion at some point. "He's a prominent left-handed pitcher who pitched well in some high-leverage...

Chris Davis said earlier today that his left hip is feeling better and he should be able to play when he's eligible to return from the 10-day injured list. The Orioles put Davis on the IL retroactive to Saturday with left hip inflammation. He doesn't anticipate needing a rehab assignment in the minors, though he hasn't received an at-bat since going 0-for-3 Thursday with three strikeouts and a walk. "I feel pretty good," Davis said. "I'm actually about to start moving around and doing...

When Austin Wynns catches lefty John Means tonight for the Orioles in the Detroit series finale, it will be the first time he's caught Means in the bigs this year. But far from their first time ever. Wynns caught Means' big league debut late last year at Boston and this pairing took place often on the farm. Wynns wasn't even sure how many times he has caught Means over the years - too many to even hazard a guess - but he knows him very well and it's been a lot. This will be a comfortable...

ATLANTA - The Nationals, as surely you know by now, have not swept a series yet this season. Shoot, they just finally completed their first three-game winning streak last weekend. But if they can beat the Braves again tonight, they will have crossed that off list at last. Yes, it's only a two-game series, but beggars can't be choosers. A win tonight would be no small task. The Nationals would have to win a game started by Aníbal Sánchez, something they've done only twice in nine...

The Washington Nationals reinstated right-handed pitcher Aníbal Sánchez from the 10-day injured list and optioned right-handed pitcher James Bourque to Triple-A Fresno on Wednesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Sánchez, 35, returns to the Nationals after being placed on the 10-day injured list on May 17 with a left hamstring strain. In nine starts prior to his injury, he was 0-6 with a 5.10 ERA (24 ER/42.1 IP) and...

DJ Stewart stays in right field and bats seventh tonight as the Orioles try to win their series against the Tigers. Dwight Smith Jr. is in left field and batting fifth, followed by Keon Broxton. Hanser Alberto continues to lead off and Trey Mancini is playing first base in Chris Davis' absence. Austin Wynns is behind the plate tonight. Alberto is batting .414 (24-for-58) against left-handed pitching, the highest average in the majors. He's hitting .391 (9-for-23) with three doubles, one home...

ATLANTA - The toe tap was gone. The results were back to normal. Sean Doolittle looked like his old self again Tuesday night during a scoreless bottom of the ninth that preserved the Nationals' 5-4 win over the Braves. He faced four batters, struck out three of them and emerged with his 10th save in a game his team desperately needed. And for the first time in 2019, he did it without his front foot touching dirt before taking his full stride toward the plate. That seemingly innocuous move...

The Orioles welcomed two young pitchers from the Single-A Frederick Keys last night as right-handers Blaine Knight and Cody Sedlock came to Camden Yards on an off-night for their team. Before the game, they met some Orioles players, saw the sights at Camden Yards and did a round of interviews. Knight, drafted in round three last year out of the University of Arkansas, made five starts at Single-A Delmarva to begin this season, pitched to an ERA of 0.68 and was promoted to Single-A Frederick. In...