Just about every day over the last week-plus, Davey Martinez has been asked if Anthony Rendon will be available to pinch-hit that night, and the Nationals manager has almost always answered in a hopeful manner. Martinez, though, sounded less hopeful when asked about the possibility Monday afternoon as the Nationals prepared to face the Cardinals with their star third baseman still out of the lineup with a bruised left elbow. "He's going to take swings later on in the day, and we'll see,"...

CHICAGO - The Orioles are trying so hard to change the narrative. They make adjustments to their rotation and bullpen based on production and health. Pitchers are optioned, designated for assignment and put on the injured list. They're rewarded after good starts by getting another turn, which can bump someone else. No matter what manager Brandon Hyde tries to do, he keeps having to answer for the steady stream of home runs that flood the box scores. He does it pregame, postgame and probably in...

One inning was all it took for the Cardinals to turn the tables on left-hander Patrick Corbin and the Nationals. Down 3-0 in the fifth, St. Louis tallied six runs on five hits and two walks as 10 batters came to the plate. Marcell Ozuna provided the highlight knock, a two-run single that pushed the Cards to a 4-3 lead. Corbin (2-1) said the key to the inning unraveling were the two walks issued to Matt Carpenter and Paul DeJong. Coupled with a single allowed to Paul Goldschmidt, those free...

They slogged their way through a rough stretch against less-intimidating competition, and now the Nationals were opening a 13-game stretch against three division leaders and another team that came within one game of reaching the World Series last fall. It's going to require improvement in all facets of the game for the Nats to emerge successful from this daunting stretch. And though they got some much needed improvement in one key area - the bullpen - tonight, it meant little when their...

The Nationals got after Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha with three runs in the second inning. The rally was sparked by Wacha's counterpart, left-hander Patrick Corbin, who put together was of the most impressive at-bats of the season. With one out, Matt Adams singled to right field. One batter later, Brian Dozier singled. Yan Gomes walked to load the bases. Corbin battled back from an 0-2 count to get to a full count versus Wacha. He had to foul off four pitches to stay alive for nine...

The Orioles road trip moves on to Chicago and they start a three-game series tonight in the windy city. The Orioles (10-19) went 0-3 at Minnesota, scoring just four runs. They've lost seven of nine and 14 of the last 19 games. Left-handers get the start with John Means (3-2, 1.74 ERA) facing Manny Bañuelos (1-0, 2.51 ERA). In his three starts, Means is 1-2 with a 2.08 ERA. He has averaged 6.9 strikeouts/nine innings in his starts and 15.3 per nine when pitching out of the bullpen. The White...

CHICAGO - New Orioles reliever Shawn Armstrong, claimed off waivers yesterday from the Mariners, is flying to Chicago and should officially join the team Tuesday or Wednesday. With a vacancy on the 25-man roster, the Orioles recalled right-hander Yefry Ramirez from Triple-A Norfolk and he's available to pitch tonight on three days' rest if needed. "He's going to fill the long role for us," said manager Brandon Hyde. "He's been throwing the ball well in Norfolk. Excited to have him. We...

Nationals reliever Trevor Rosenthal is heading to extended spring training in West Palm Beach, Fla., to begin a throwing program as he looks to recover from a viral infection that placed him on the 10-day injured list. "We just want to get him healthy, get him ready, get him back," said Nationals manager Davey Martinez. "We laid out a plan for him to go down there. He's going to start a throwing program and get him built up and get him back hopefully as soon as possible." Rosenthal was at...

CHICAGO - Orioles outfielder Trey Mancini expects to get back into the lineup Tuesday night against the White Sox. Mancini left Saturday's game in Minnesota in the first inning after being hit on the right index finger and he sat out yesterday's 4-1 loss. His day-to-day status extends to tonight's series opener, but it's nearing an end. "It feels better than yesterday. I think I'm good to go tomorrow," Mancini said. "I'm not 100 percent and I kind of learned not to go out there if...

Anthony Rendon has played once in the last nine days, leaving the Nationals a man short on their active roster. But if you assumed that would've convinced the team to place its star third baseman on the injured list by now, you'd be wrong. Though his bruised left elbow continues to prevent him from fully extending when he swings, Rendon believes he's only a day or two away from returning to action. So the Nationals continue to put off an IL move, not wanting to risk losing him for even more...