WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A breakthrough season in 2018 has pretty much cemented left-hander Matt Grace's place in the Nationals bullpen. Now the durable lefty is doing everything he can to keep his spot. "Just keep looking for what's next in that next level," Grace said. "Talk to guys like Max (Scherzer) and stuff like that. It's a never-ending pursuit of how you figure this stuff out. It's just keep going, keep competing, keep trying to refine what you got." Grace, 30, made a...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde spent part of yesterday's postgame media session praising left-hander Josh Rogers for setting a rapid tempo rather than lulling everyone to sleep between pitches. Rogers isn't doing it by accident. He retired all six Rays that he faced in the blink of an eye. "I'm definitely conscious of it," he said. "It's something I feel like I use to my advantage. I don't think it's something you can just get up there and do. I've taught myself to do...

MASNsports.com has obtained a copy of the 2019 Washington Nationals minor league roster for spring training: Right-handed pitchers 64 Carlos Acevedo 37 Joan Adon 54 Tomas Alastre 26 Elvis Alvarado 29 Dakota Bacus 61 Joan Baez 57 Frankie Bartow 53 A.J. Bogucki 47 Jared Brasher 49 Ryan Brinley 55 Jacob Condra-Bogan 56 Jake Cousins 41 Carlos Cuello 56 Weston Davis 35 Chandler Day 60 Jose De Los Santos 51 Mason Denaburg 34 Brady Dragmire 60 Tanner Driskill 38 Paolo Espino 41 Steven Fuentes 34...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Nate Karns is scheduled to throw a bullpen session this morning in Sarasota and says that he anticipates getting "back in line" after skipping last night's start in Tampa. Karns was scratched from his assignment against the Yankees due to some soreness in his right arm that he downplayed earlier today. He hadn't pitched since going 1 2/3 innings Monday against the Twins. "It's just one of those things like early in camp, trying to get your feet under you as far as...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Now that he's finally in the lineup, has Nationals manager Davey Martinez devised a plan for how much first baseman Ryan Zimmerman will play for the rest of camp? He has, and though he'll discuss it with Zimmerman later today, Martinez doesn't sound like he'll be deviating from what he's planned for the veteran. So far, he's not talking in specifics. "No, like I said, as long as he's good, I want him to participate and play games," Martinez said. Zimmerman was...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Stevie Wilkerson is in right field today, the latest position switch for the utility candidate. The Orioles are going with a Rule 5 double play combination again today against the Red Sox, with Richie Martin at shortstop and Drew Jackson at second base. Cedric Mullins is in center field and Trey Mancini is in left. Jace Peterson is playing first base. For the Orioles Cedric Mullins CF Eric Young Jr. DH Trey Mancini LF Rio Ruiz 3B Richie Martin SS Jace Peterson 1B Drew Jackson...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Ryan Zimmerman is in the Nationals lineup today against the Twins, the first time this spring he's played in a Grapefruit League game. He's hitting fourth and playing first base. Zimmerman was supposed to make his debut Wednesday, but was scratched when he came down with a bug that's been making its way through the clubhouse. It took him a couple of days to recover, and he went through drills in camp yesterday to prove that he was fit. It'll be interesting to see how...

SARASOTA, Fla. - In an Orioles spring camp where veterans seem to be making themselves readily available however needed for young players, outfielder Cedric Mullins is ready to soak up help like a sponge. And that is in all aspects of the game. But when it comes to one aspect specifically, Mullins has help in infielder Jonathan Villar and outfielder Eric Young Jr. And that is with stealing bases. The Orioles' 2018 minor league Player of the Year, Mullins made his big league debut late last...

SARASOTA, Fla. - In evaluating young left-hander Josh Rogers, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde can't afford to become distracted. Not for a second. Divert your eyes and another batter is retired. Another inning is completed. "I tell you what, if you go to get a drink with Josh Rogers on the mound, you better have your head up with your eyes on the field because you're going to miss about 10 pitches," Hyde said. "The tempo is unbelievable. He gets the ball and goes, he gets on the rubber and...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - There were times last season when Adam Eaton would slice a ball into the gap and briefly forget that trying to stretch a double into a triple might not be the best of ideas, given his surgically repaired ankle. When speed has been your calling card, learning to rein it in can be a challenge. After rehabbing from a grisly knee injury in his first year with the Nationals, an awkward slide into home plate landed Eaton back on the disabled list early last season. When he...