He delivered three doubles, two of them at key moments to drive in runs, one of them to notch the 1,000th RBI of his career. He scampered around the bases and scored a critical run on a bad foot. But he also missed a golden opportunity to win the game at the plate. And then he cost his team with a misplay in the field that helped the Royals pull off a 7-4 11-inning win over the Nationals. Suffice it to say, this was the most eventful night of the season for Ryan Zimmerman. The veteran first...

Anthony Rendon will have the All-Star designation by his name for the 2019 season, but he will not play in the game or participate in activities at the Midsummer Classic in Cleveland next week because of a left hamstring/quad injury. Major League Baseball announced Friday that the Dodgers' Max Muncy will replace Rendon on the National League All-Star team. Rendon has been dealing with the left quad and hamstring injury for a few weeks. He has decided that rest and rehab here in D.C. would help...

For nine days, the Nationals did just about everything right. They got clutch hits when they needed them. They made pitches when they needed them. They found a way to beat the Marlins and Tigers eight times in nine games and ascend to the top position in the National League wild card race. So as tonight's series opener against the Royals played out, it was only natural to assume the Nats would find a way to pull this one out as well. Someone would drive in the big run. Someone would make the...

Andrew Cashner is making his final start today before the All-Star break and it's interesting to consider whether there's another countdown to his last days with the Orioles. Not the last guaranteed year on his contract. His status as trade chip, perhaps the biggest on the club. Trey Mancini would rank first if we could determine his availability. The Orioles certainly would move Cashner, though creating another hole in the rotation might turn some stomachs queasy. Who's deserving of the...

TORONTO - Chris Davis produced his first multi-RBI game since May 10 and Dylan Bundy allowed just one run for the first time since May 17 as the Orioles beat Toronto 4-1 on Friday night at Rogers Centre. The Orioles, who went 0-10 at Toronto last year, are 3-1 at Rogers Centre in 2019. They won their second in a row and for the fourth time in seven games in improving to 26-61. The Orioles can end a run of losing 11 straight road series if they win one of the next two games this weekend. Bundy...

Victor Robles is getting a rare night off, sitting on the bench while Gerardo Parra starts in center field for the Nationals' series opener against the Royals. But Robles is physically fine, according to manager Davey Martinez, despite some close calls the last two days. "He's just getting a day off," Martinez said. "He had a beating the last couple days, so just giving him a little break." That "beating" Robles took the last two days came in the form of a couple of pitches that struck...

TORONTO - He's only played three innings in his pro career in center field, but Anthony Santander will get the start there tonight when the Orioles open a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays. That counts one inning in the Venezuelan Winter League and two in the American League. In the June 26 home game versus San Diego, Santander moved from left field to center for the final two innings. "Going to give him a look out there," manager Brandon Hyde said. "Want to see his bat in the...

Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon will not participate in this year's All-Star Game, Major League Baseball announced via Twitter this evening. MLB tweeted that Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy would replace Rendon at the Midsummer Classic next week in Cleveland. Rendon has been nursing what he's called a "nagging injury" for a few weeks now, and has not been running full speed down the line. The third baseman has said recently he would not mind using the four days off during the break...

We have reached the final weekend of the first half, and you almost wonder if the Nationals wish they could just keep playing next week. Sure, several guys are in need of some rest, but they also have to hope the four days off doesn't kill their mojo. First things first: They've got a chance to cap things off with another big weekend against a beatable opponent. The Royals are in town, and this qualifies as an extremely rare event. It's only the second time they've ever played the Nationals...

Anthony Santander is making his first start in center field tonight as the Orioles play the Blue Jays in Toronto. Santander's experience in center consists of one inning in the Venezuelan Winter League and two with the Orioles this season. Keon Broxton is on the bench. He's struck out 46 times in 93 at-bats. Chris Davis is playing first base and batting seventh, one spot below Santander. Chance Sisco is batting cleanup. Richie Martin is the shortstop. Davis is 6-for-19 with a home run in his...