SARASOTA, Fla. - The three-run homer is becoming a staple of Orioles spring training games. At least after two days. Rio Ruiz, starting at third base today, followed a Trey Mancini single and two-out walk by Ryan Mountcastle with a shot over the right field fence to give the Orioles another quick lead. Ruiz has hit four home runs in the majors in 195 plate appearances. Mancini singled up the middle against right-hander Sean Reid-Foley. Chris Davis ran the count to 2-2 and couldn't check his...

JUPITER, Fla. - The Nationals are emphasizing defensive improvement this spring, and they believe that can be achieved in multiple forms. There's the obvious: upgrades in personnel. Brian Dozier will be better at second base than Daniel Murphy. Victor Robles and/or Michael A. Taylor will be better in center field than Bryce Harper. Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki should be better behind the plate than Matt Wieters. There's also the approach: Manager Davey Martinez and his coaches are drilling into...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Three of the Orioles' veteran starting pitchers were busy this morning. Dylan Bundy and Andrew Cashner threw simulated games on a back field at the Ed Smith Stadium complex as the Orioles readied for batting practice, providing a glimpse at manager Brandon Hyde's plans in spring training with a schedule heavy in division opponents. It also is a way to ease them back into competition. Alex Cobb threw a bullpen session and Hyde said the right-hander also will pitch in a sim...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles prospect Ryan Mountcastle has made the point a few times: He'll play on defense wherever the team needs him to and is up for anything. In recent days, first base has been added to his resume. Before yesterday, he had never played the position in the pro ranks, just shortstop and third base since the Orioles drafted him No. 36 overall in 2015. But here on Saturday, after Mountcastle pinch-hit in the last of the fifth, he went out to first base and got in four innings at...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Dylan Bundy is pitching in a simulated game this morning on one of the back fields at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. He doesn't know when he's going to start a Grapefruit League game. Manager Brandon Hyde is considering whether to shield his starters from division opponents and the Orioles are playing the Blue Jays today, the Rays on Tuesday, the Red Sox on Wednesday, the Rays and Yankees on Friday in split-squad games, and the Red Sox again Saturday. Nate Karns starts Monday...

JUPITER, Fla. - It's a quick turnaround for the Nationals from last night's Grapefruit League opener to this afternoon's road debut against the Cardinals. Most of the significant names that played last night aren't making the trip to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, but Matt Adams and Adam Eaton will both be in the lineup (though Eaton will be the DH after starting in right field last night). We'll get our first look at the Trea Turner-Brian Dozier double play combo, as well as our first look...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is giving Chris Davis, Trey Mancini and Jonathan Villar their first spring starts today. Villar is leading off and playing second base. Mancini is batting second and playing left field. Davis follows them, starting at first base. Ryan Mountcastle is the cleanup hitter and designated hitter. Alcides Escobar, one of the newer additions to camp, is playing shortstop today. Austin Hays is the center fielder. It's Carlos Pérez's turn to catch. For...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - There's a generally accepted rule in spring training that veteran players need only stay in the dugout watching exhibition games until the mass substitutions start taking place, usually around the fourth inning or so during this first week of play. Ryan Zimmerman, though, spoke to his Nationals teammates before Saturday night's Grapefruit League opener and made it clear no one was to leave the dugout until the completion of the fifth inning, until Aaron Barrett had...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles will play their second exhibition game later today, giving manager Brandon Hyde more opportunities to show off the versatility of his roster and do a little more experimenting. Stevie Wilkerson hasn't played first base in the majors? Run him out there in the Grapefruit League opener against the Twins. Wilkerson came off the bag to glove Renato Núñez's throw from across the diamond and slap the tag on Ronald Torreyes. But he also couldn't make the clean...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Max Scherzer hasn't been holding back this spring in his criticism of the state of baseball and the various theories and proposals that have been put forth in an attempt to address problem areas. And you can now add the pitch clock to his list of grievances. Scherzer voiced strong opposition tonight to Major League Baseball's latest change to improve pace of play, declaring himself "fundamentally against" the pitch clock after experiencing it for the first time...