A week into the season, the Yankees are already on Plan C at shortstop. Gleyber Torres played the position Thursday against the Orioles in the Camden Yards home opener. It worked fine. Torres, batting seventh, hit two home runs in the Yankees' 8-4 victory against the Orioles. His single in the eighth inning gave him a career-high four hits. The Yankees' standing-room-only injured list is the biggest story from the American League East's first week. The Yankees knew their regular shortstop,...

It was looking like there would be a good chance for a feel-good opening day at home for the Orioles. They were leading the Yankees 4-1 headed to the top of the sixth. But within a span of four batters the strong positive vibes hit a brick wall. Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres delivered his second homer of the game and it was huge. His three-run shot off Mike Wright turned a 4-2 Orioles lead into a 5-4 Yankees lead. New York went on to win 8-4 in front of a sellout of 44,182 at Oriole Park at...

Catcher Jesús Sucre set an outside target this afternoon with an 0-2 count on Gleyber Torres, the Orioles still holding a two-run lead with two outs in the sixth inning in their home opener. One more strike, one more out, and they could inch a little closer to their latest win. Mike Wright's 95 mph fastball tailed over the plate, moving up and in, and Torres didn't miss it. Contact was made and Sucre bolted out of his crouch, spun toward the home dugout and ripped off his mask. A chase...

NEW YORK - It was the dominant storyline of the season's first week, and it promises to remain that way through this first road trip of 2019. The Nationals are going to live and die by their bullpen, and after dying a few times at home against the Mets and Phillies, they were brought back to life by the beleaguered relief corps this afternoon during a 4-0 victory at Citi Field. "Like I said before, if we're going to do this, I got to trust the bullpen to get the job done," manager Davey...

NEW YORK - Stephen Strasburg was brilliant. And his teammates did just enough against Noah Syndergaard to take a lead into the latter innings of today's matinee at Citi Field. But as anyone who has watched only a few moments of Nationals baseball in 2019 already knew, none of this would matter if the majors' most beleaguered bullpen couldn't find a way to do its job and close out a victory. So as impressive as Strasburg's 6 2/3 innings of scoreless ball was, and as impressive as Victor...

The Orioles lost five of their first six games last season and Trey Mancini stumbled hard out of the gate, making what's transpired in the first week this year the ultimate script flip. Not as entertaining as a bat flip, but terribly important to Mancini. "Winning two series on the road to start the year, especially with so many young guys on our team," Mancini said, savoring a 4-2 start. "I think 11 of the 25 on opening day hadn't experienced one before, so that's really cool. And I'm...

NEW YORK - Aníbal Sánchez was sporting a bruise on his right hip this morning at Citi Field, but the Nationals right-hander has made it known he'll be ready to make his next scheduled start. Sánchez, who was struck by Andrew McCutchen's third-inning comebacker during Wednesday's game in Washington, gave up two runs and put four runners on base in the fourth, then after attempting a few warm-up tosses in the fifth had to depart. "The way I throw, because of my hip, it hurt me,"...

After winning four of six on the road to start the 2019 season, the Orioles are back in Baltimore for their home opener. Today the Orioles host the New York Yankees to start a three-game series and seven-game homestand, with Oakland following the Yankees to town. Tampa Bay at 5-2 is the early leader in the American League East, with the Orioles next at 4-2. Toronto is 3-4, the Yankees 2-4 and Boston 2-5. After losing two of three to the Orioles to begin the season in Yankee Stadium, New York...

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has been warned about the orange carpet on opening day at Camden Yards. He's been prepped and has joked about how he's going to avoid an injury or embarrassing fall. "I'm hearing a lot about the carpet," he said. "I saw a picture, actually, this morning of what it looked like. Obviously, it's a very special tradition and can't wait to be a part of it." Hyde may borrow Deion Sander's high-step to ensure that his feet don't get tangled in the...

NEW YORK - Howie Kendrick officially was activated off the injured list this morning, giving the Nationals the right-handed pinch-hitter they've missed for nearly 11 months. Kendrick, who spent the last month rehabbing from a strained left hamstring suffered during spring training, already had completed his long rehab from the ruptured right Achilles tendon he suffered last May. The 35-year-old utilityman's absence was noted throughout the 2018 season, and his return today is being welcomed...