PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Right-hander Joe Ross looked comfortable and his pitches were sharp in his first start of spring since returning from Tommy John surgery. Ross allowed a two-run shot to Michael Conforto, but finished three innings looking strong, mixing four pitches and hitting mid-90s with his fastball. Ross fired 61 pitches, 44 for strikes, scattering four hits, allowing two runs with no walks and striking out three. It was his longest outing of spring training in his sixth overall...

The good news for the Los Angeles Dodgers is that they've been to the World Series two consecutive years. The bad news is that they've watched two teams - the Astros in 2017 and the Red Sox last season - celebrate a championship in Dodger Stadium. The Astros won Game 7, the Red Sox Game 5. The Dodgers vow to win the World Series this season, ending a championship drought that goes back to 1988, the year they beat the Athletics. But first things first: They have to take aim at winning their...

The Astros won their first World Series in 2017 and followed that with a franchise-record 103 victories last season. But they were then beaten in the postseason by the eventual World Series champion Red Sox. "Last year was a disappointment, but we are an organization that's built to win multiple championships,'' says Jeff Luhnow, the general manager who puts the roster together. The Astros' core of players includes a healthy middle infield in Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa. There's also...

LAKELAND, Fla. - Andrew Cashner retired the last 12 batters that he faced today. The Orioles sent 11 to the plate in the fifth inning, with Dwight Smith Jr. collecting two singles. They received back-to-back triples from Jonathan Villar and Trey Mancini. Just another day in spring training. Cashner got on a nice roll after Mikie Mahtook singled to lead off the bottom of the second inning. He filled up the strike zone and did his finest work while holding the Tigers to one run in five...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Only three days after his manager said he expected him to miss "a significant amount of time," Michael A. Taylor was back playing catch and taking light swings this morning at the Nationals' spring training complex, suggesting his sprained left knee and hip aren't as seriously hurt as initially feared. Mirroring the light workout he revealed he went through Sunday, Taylor stood on the synthetic "agility" field just outside the Nationals clubhouse this morning and...

LAKELAND, Fla. - Drew Jackson's ability to handle the outfield corners, with today marking his first game in right, could influence manager Brandon Hyde's roster construction prior to opening day. Jackson figures to make the club as a second Rule 5 infielder along with Richie Martin, but he's been used in a utility role in camp and the resume is expanding. "He's so versatile. He can play a lot of different positions," Hyde said this morning while the Orioles took batting...

LAKELAND, Fla. - Austin Wynns remains hopeful that he can get back in the lineup within a few days and continue his fight for a spot on the opening day roster as the Orioles wind down the exhibition portion of their spring training. Wynns hasn't been able to play due to a strained left oblique. He did some defensive work yesterday on one of the back fields and has been hitting in the cage, but he's set to ramp up his activities. "I'm like full-go defensive, throwing running," he said....

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Nationals manager Davey Martinez's goal for right-hander Joe Ross is to get through three innings today in his first spring training start, a split-squad affair against the Mets on the road. Ross has appeared in five games in a relief role from February 23 to March 12. He has gone 7 2/3 total innings and has a 1.17 ERA. He has seven strikeouts and walked three. "We want to stretch him out a little bit," Martinez said. "See if we can get him three up and downs. We...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Split-squad games are a rite of spring training, but the Nationals haven't had one yet this year. That changes today, when half the team hosts the Marlins in West Palm Beach and the other half travels to Port St. Lucie to face the Mets (weather permitting). Fortunately we've got tag team coverage right now: I'll be writing about the home game, Byron Kerr will be writing about the road game. It's Patrick Corbin facing the Marlins in his second-to-last tune-up before...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Drew Jackson is making his first appearance in right field this afternoon as the Orioles travel to Lakeland to play the Tigers. Ryan Mountcastle is coming over from minor league camp to serve as the designated hitter. He's batting third. Trey Mancini is starting at first base, Chance Sisco is catching and Joey Rickard is in center field. Andrew Cashner makes his fourth spring start after allowing eight runs and 12 hits in 8 1/3 innings. He's walked four batters and struck out...