Max Scherzer's chances of missing another start against the Braves appear to be growing, leaving the Nationals again facing the prospect of a critical series with the National League East leaders without the services of their ace. Scherzer, still dealing with a lingering upper back injury that has limited him to one start in the last three weeks, has not yet thrown a ball since receiving a stem cell injection Friday for what he described as a "mild strain" of the rhomboid muscle on top of...

The Nationals haven't been in this position for a while, needing to win a series finale to avoid a sweep. It was an all-too-common scenario back in April and May, but they've usually found themselves in the polar opposite situation since. But after dropping their first two games to the Dodgers this weekend - not to mention after dropping Thursday's finale against the Rockies as well - they really need a win this afternoon. Stephen Strasburg's on the mound, and that's a good thing for the...

The Major League Baseball trade deadline is now three days away, and not many former players can speak to what it is like to be traded the way that Nationals manager Davey Martinez, who was traded several times in his 17-year major league career, can. With a veteran clubhouse before him in D.C., he has told his troops to stay online with what the Nats are trying to do and not worry about outside rumors. "The toughest thing at this point is to focus on what's at hand," Martinez said. "Don't...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Orioles have not swept a series all year. They have not swept a two- or three-game series. But a win today at Angel Stadium will give them a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels. It would be a sweep over a team that beat their rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, two in a row before this series began. At the start of this series, the Angels had won four in a row and were 9-3 since the All-Star game, and 12-6 in July. The Angels were playing well, but they've lost 10-8 in...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - In the bottom of the ninth right-hander Mychal Givens was on the mound trying to close out an 8-6 Orioles win. And even when the Angels pulled within a run, even when the Orioles defense made a critical mistake, and even when Mike Trout batted with the tying run 90 feet away, the Orioles still got the victory. Givens bent but didn't break and the Orioles beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-7 to go 4-2 on this road trip and 3-0 in a four-game series they can sweep today. The Orioles...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - On a night when the Orioles allowed homers to Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Shohei Ohtani, they still won. It's going that well for the Birds in Anaheim. But they had to sweat it out to the last pitch when Mychal Givens got Justin Upton to pop out on a 3-2 pitch with two outs and the bases loaded. They hang on to beat the Angels 8-7 tonight and the Orioles have taken the first three in this series to improve to 35-69. They have won four of five, seven of 10 and are 13-11 the...

While the Orioles downplay John Means' second stop on the injured list, this time with a left biceps strain, they need to find a starter to take his next turn. Means is expected to miss only one start, but who's making it? Someone has to take the mound Monday night in San Diego, and manager Brandon Hyde isn't ready to announce his choice. Probably because he doesn't know yet what it is. Gabriel Ynoa is an option if he's fresh. He worked 1 2/3 innings Wednesday in Arizona and three innings...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Orioles have not announced their starting pitchers yet for the San Diego series that begins Monday. Right-hander Tom Eshelman is expected to start Tuesday but manager Brandon Hyde said he doesn't yet know about Monday. That is where All-Star lefty John Means would be slated in the rotation, but he went on the injured list yesterday retroactive to July 25 with a left biceps strain. Hyde did say today that Means will undergo further testing, but once again said he is not...

The Matt Grace experiment as an opener could not have gone much better. The Nationals found a way to get to Clayton Kershaw early on. All looked good for the Nats after they jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning Saturday afternoon before 39,616 at Nats Park. Grace ended up pitching in two innings. But once he left, right-hander Joe Ross allowed seven runs as the potent and unrelenting Dodgers lineup demonstrated they can take over games. Will Smith went 3-for-3 with a homer, two doubles...

Adley Rutschman just wanted to blend. The first overall pick in the 2019 First-Year Player Draft just wanted to be one of the guys inside the Aberdeen IronBirds clubhouse and while on the field for batting practice prior to his first game with the Orioles' short-season Single-A affiliate. He's going to keep trying. No matter how hard. Rutschman walked past a team store at Ripken Stadium with his IronBirds jersey hanging in front of the window. Couldn't miss it. He was assigned No. 35, which...