The countdown is on. We are now just shy of 24 hours from opening day across Major League Baseball. (Let's just forget the Athletics and Mariners already played two regular season games in Japan last week, cause it only makes things more confusing.) After an agonizing winter and spring waiting for free agents to sign, at last we can watch and write about what's actually taking place on the field. If you're looking for our annual Nationals media season predictions, you're going to have to...

The Orioles made it through yesterday's workout without their tans fading or the front office tweaking the 25-man roster. The same group that flew out of Sarasota headed out to the field in stocking caps and hoodies, then retreated to a clubhouse that added new big screen televisions mounted from the ceiling, a leather sofa and a couple of recliners. Feel the cold outside and chill indoors. The final roster moves on Monday didn't include any mention of pitcher Gregory Infante, who never made...

Circumstances and a willingness to try something new, at least to their organization, have led the Orioles to introduce the "opener" to their rotation in the second game of the 2019 season. Nate Karns will start Saturday afternoon against the Yankees in the Bronx, following opening day starter Andrew Cashner and the ensuing off-day. Manager Brandon Hyde provided some clarity to his rotation during today's workout at chilly Camden Yards, including how Dylan Bundy will start Sunday...

When Orioles right-hander Andrew Cashner made his only previous opening day start, his team beat what would go on to be an eventual division winner as he threw a strong game. It was March 30, 2014 when he started for San Diego as the Padres hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres would beat the Dodgers 3-1 to start a year when Los Angeles won 94 games and the National League West championship. Cashner went six innings in a no-decision, allowing four hits and one run with two walks and five...

The Nationals optioned reliever Austen Williams and infielder Adrián Sanchez to Triple-A Fresno this morning, all but finalizing their opening day roster with only one final question left to answer: Has non-roster invitee Jake Noll made the club, or is there another outside acquisition pending to fill the last spot on the bench? The Williams and Sanchez moves leave the Nationals with 28 players officially on their spring training roster. Included on that roster, however, are three players...

Nationals closer Sean Doolittle made it official Monday that he was changing his jersey No. from 62 to No. 63 for family reasons. He did not want to get specifics as to why, citing privacy. "(Fans) spend their hard-earned money on a shirt or jersey with my name and number on it. I think that's really cool," Doolittle said. "I definitely had to factor that into my decision. But at the end of the day it was just something I felt was really important to me and was something I could do for my...

One area where the Orioles need to improve this year is on defense. Once a solid defensive team that played fundamentally sound baseball, the Orioles have gotten away from that in recent years. They need to get back to it this year. When he met with reporters before yesterday's spring training finale, executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias said: "One of our big goals among many goals was to, in the immediate term, upgrade the athleticism and defense and flexibility of the...

Nationals right-hander Aníbal Sánchez wrapped up spring training with a strong 5 1/3 innings, allowing only two runs on two hits in a 5-3 win over the Yankees at Nats Park. Sánchez allowed a solo homer to Troy Tulowitzki in the third. The Yankees mounted another rally in the sixth that resulted in another run, courtesy of a Greg Bird RBI double off of Aaron Barrett. He walked four and struck out four, including Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. He threw 86 pitches, 47 for...

Spring training is over and the Orioles have moved into the next phase of their 2019 season. The games are starting to count, even for teams that are focusing on the bigger rebuild picture. The Orioles will visit the Naval Academy today - touring the grounds and facilities as guests of the baseball team and having lunch with 4,400 Midshipmen in King Hall - before holding their workout at Camden Yards and heading to New York. Major League Baseball requires teams to take an entire day off, which...

Right fielder Adam Eaton has watched Victor Robles get his reps in center field this spring and believes the 21-year-old is ready to take the next step as the season commences Thursday. The one thing Eaton has appreciated the most about Robles is that the youngster is not afraid to learn from his miscues in the outfield. Eaton likes the upside ability Robles has. And that ability will shine through once Robles gets dozens of big league games under his belt, the veteran believes. Robles has made...