SARASOTA, Fla. - For a pitcher selected fourth overall in the 2011 draft, who had an ERA of 4.02 in 2016 and 4.24 a year later, pitching to a 5.45 last year and leading the majors in homers allowed was not nearly what he had in mind. "Absolutely. You don't ever want to see that ERA or that many homers given up. That just gives me more motivation to come back and fix that problem," said Dylan Bundy, who went 8-16 in 2018 and led the majors in homers allowed with 41. I interviewed Bundy a few...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Josh Rogers is starting today for the Orioles, so turn off the pitch clock. The spring's fastest worker doesn't need any prodding. Manager Brandon Hyde loves Rogers' pace, but there's more to him. There's also performance and personality. "Besides the tempo, which is unbelievable, aggressive. Attacks hitters. Multiple pitches," Hyde said, rattling off some of Rogers' other appealing qualities. "Unpredictability in what he's going to throw. A little bit of deception. I...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Don't just assume you're going to get that blockbuster Max Scherzer vs. Bryce Harper matchup in the latter's return to Washington as a visiting player. Tempting as it may be to send Scherzer (and then Stephen Strasburg) to the mound for the Nationals' April 2-3 games against Harper and the Phillies, manager Davey Martinez might decide to take advantage of the plethora of early April off-days on the schedule and give his top two starters some extra rest. When...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The wait is over for Richard Bleier. So, too, are the requests for updates on his recovery from lat surgery and progress toward getting back on a mound. Bleier made his spring debut tonight by starting the top of the fifth inning against the Yankees. He allowed three runs - only one earned - and three hits with one strikeout. Manager Brandon Hyde removed him at 19 pitches, including 15 strikes, with a runner on first base and two outs. Two soft doubles poked to right field. A...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - This is exactly what the Nationals had in mind when they signed Aníbal Sánchez this winter. A bunch of zeroes on the scoreboard. A bunch of different types of pitches thrown at different speeds. And a bunch of groundball outs. Whether Sánchez can carry the success he enjoyed tonight in a Grapefruit League outing against the Marlins into a regular season start a few weeks from remains to be seen. But the veteran right-hander certainly put forth a template tonight...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles first baseman Chris Davis did some hitting this afternoon in the indoor cage at the Ed Smith Stadium complex after undergoing an MRI yesterday on his sore left hip. Tests came back clean and Davis passed along the improvements to manager Brandon Hyde. "He hit today and he feels a lot better and I think he's going to be in there probably after the off-day (Monday)," Hyde said. "The trend is going up with how he feels and he should be in there after the off-day at...

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - In a game where Dylan Bundy gave up six runs and the Orioles made six errors and lost an eight-run lead, they still won today. A Baltimore split squad beat the Tampa Bay Rays 17-15 at Charlotte Sports Park in the wildest game of spring training to date. It was every bit as crazy as the score might suggest. The game did feature two long home runs by O's prospects Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays, and four homers in all for the Orioles. Rio Ruiz had a three-run shot and...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Sammy Solís' long and often erratic tenure with the Nationals came to an abrupt conclusion this afternoon when the organization that drafted the left-hander nine years ago gave him his unconditional release. Manager Davey Martinez explained the timing of the move as a reflection of the depth of other bullpen arms currently in camp, but there also was financial incentive behind the transaction. By releasing Solís today, the Nationals are responsible only for...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Dwight Smith Jr. has reported to the Orioles after yesterday's trade and is waiting for his first chance to get in the lineup. Smith was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays earlier this week and the Orioles acquired him for international signing bonus slot funds. He's wearing No. 35. "I was surprised when it happened," he said. "When I heard the news I was ecstatic to come over here and just get the opportunity to play and just help in whatever way I can." Whether...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Hello again from FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. I'm back here for the remainder of the spring. Many thanks to Pete Kerzel for filling in during my mid-camp break. Just arrived at the ballpark and there's already significant news to report: Sammy Solís has been unconditionally released. While this may seem to come out of the blue for many, this really wasn't a complete shock. From the moment the Nationals chose to tender the left-hander a contract over the...