Seven starts into the 2019 season, Stephen Strasburg has been the most consistent starter for the Nationals. His last three outings have been exceptional, allowing only three runs in 21 2/3 innings. Strasburg put together another gem Thursday night against the Cardinals, winning 2-1 after both teams waited through a rain delay lasting 2 hours, 32 minutes. He struck out nine to reach 29 punchouts in his last three starts. The right-hander has struck out nine or more batters in four starts this...

It has been a theme that has plagued the Nationals since the beginning of the season. With the bullpen underperforming and getting off to a rough start, the club searched for answers. Then when the starting pitching wasn't getting the results that were expected from what was considered a strength, it felt like something had to give. On Thursday night, the Nationals avoided the sweep over Cardinals 2-1 behind another consistent performance from Stephen Strasburg. But after the game, general...

I'm not sure how it is going to happen, but the Orioles need to make it happen. They need to start getting more innings from their starting pitchers. The sooner the better. In 32 games during an 11-21 start, the Orioles' starting pitchers have thrown six innings or more just four times and have made only four quality starts. The starters' ERA is 5.54 and they have gone 5 1/3 or fewer innings 26 times, including in each of the last seven games. It was not a good road trip for getting deep...

The Washington Nationals relieved pitching coach Derek Lilliquist of his duties and named Paul Menhart pitching coach on Thursday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Menhart joins the Major League club after serving as the organization's Minor League pitching coordinator since 2015. The 2019 season marks his 14th season in the Nationals organization. Menhart progressed through Washington's Minor League system beginning in 2006....

The latest non-weather related off-day for the Orioles should allow for a return to normalcy after the weirdness of Wednesday's doubleheader in Chicago. The recovery period might need an extension more than any young Oriole in the rebuild. A defense that's been lauded this season committed five errors in the two games. It also was guilty of a few mental blunders that showed up only as hits or runs in the box score. "I thought we threw the ball really good out of the 'pen, and I thought...

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg is on another nice streak, having allowed only two earned runs over 15 innings in his last two starts. He has done a nice job of using his fastball, changeup and curveball to strike out batters. Nationals manager Davey Martinez has noticed that Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki are not afraid to call for three or four changeups in a row if they believe that will confuse hitters. "I think a lot of has to do with Suzuki and Gomes," Martinez said. "He trusts the catchers...

Nationals manager Davey Martinez said Juan Soto is ready to go today against the Cardinals in the series finale after being a late scratch last night prior to game three due to back spasms. "He's in the lineup. He's good to go," Martinez said. "It's good to have him back in there. He said he didn't feel anything really. I think he just cramped up. We don't want to take a chance." Martinez said the training staff was concerned it was something worse when Soto was hurt during batting...

In recognition of Major League Baseball's annual Play Ball Weekend, the Orioles will host a variety of clinics, events, and ceremonies at Oriole Park and in the community between Friday, May 3, and Sunday, May 5, to teach baseball fundamentals and to celebrate the many ways in which youth baseball and softball offer children valuable life lessons. Orioles players will wear Play Ball t-shirts that read "Let the Kids Play" during batting practice throughout the weekend and pregame on Sunday...

The Nationals look to salvage the final game of their four-game series with the Cardinals today before they set out on a rigorous 10-game, three-city road trip starting Friday in Philadelphia. Right-hander Stephen Strasburg (2-1, 3.82 ERA) needs eight strikeouts to reach the 1,500-strikeout plateau. Strasburg is 2-2 with a 2.56 ERA in six starts against St. Louis in his career with 43 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings. He has not faced the Cards since 2016. In his last two starts, Strasburg has...

Any player that has had to deal with injuries can develop an even greater appreciation for the sport of baseball when they can't play it for a time. Single-A Frederick right-hander Cody Sedlock had his last two seasons impacted by injury. So being healthy and pitching so well this year, he said, is all the more meaningful. "Absolutely," Sedlock said in an interview on MASN's "O's Xtra." "When something is taken away from you, it makes it so much sweeter when you are able to compete and...