MILWAUKEE - For the first time in a long time, the Nationals expect to be adding significant players to their active roster today instead of subtracting them. Anthony Rendon is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list. And unless something unforeseen happened late Monday night or happens over the next few hours, the star third baseman will be activated and be in the Nats' lineup for tonight's game against the Brewers. It's a major boost to a team ravaged by injuries and sorely in need...

It was impressive last night when, over seven innings, left-hander John Means shut down a hot-hitting Boston Red Sox team. A Red Sox team that scored 30 runs the previous three games and was averaging 6.1 runs the previous 16. A Boston team that, while going 8-3 over its previous 11 games, led the majors in batting average (.295), OBP (.393) and OPS (.872). A Boston team that was facing Means for the second time this year. Last night, the first six hitters in their lineup saw Means three times....

MILWAUKEE - The sleep-deprived Nationals landed in Milwaukee 16 hours later than scheduled, thanks to a travel nightmare late Sunday night and early this morning in Philadelphia. They had every reason to complain about their travails, and the fact they now had to open another tough road series while fielding an injury depleted lineup. But they chose to try to look on the bright side. They shrugged off their charter flight mechanical problems and wondered if somehow the whole experience might...

Almost a week has passed since the Orioles made a roster move, and it was done only because of a traditional doubleheader that allowed for a 26th player. Outfielder Anthony Santander joined the club Wednesday in Chicago, homered in Game 2 and returned to Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles haven't shaken up the roster for other reasons since they recalled reliever Yefry Ramirez from Norfolk on April 29 to fill the vacancy created by pitcher Luis Ortiz, optioned left-hander Tanner Scott after the...

Maybe a question about Orioles left-hander John Means tonight was, after pitching well once this year against Boston, could he do it twice? And then tonight after going through the lineup once, could he do that twice? What about three times? Yep, yep and yep. At least as far as they let him go. Showing his strong changeup again with a nice early pitch mix with his slider, Means shut down a hot Boston team over seven innings as the Orioles beat the Red Sox 4-1 on a night where Jonathan Villar...

A fan interference call in the first inning tonight denied Orioles second baseman Jonathan Villar a leadoff double. He stood at second base, waited through a crew chief challenge and jogged back to the dugout. The solution in his next at-bat, of course, was to hit the ball where a paying customer couldn't influence the outcome. Where he'd be able to circle the bases. Aim for the center field seats. Do it with the bases loaded. Be the one to dictate the outcome. Villar's second career grand...

MILWAUKEE - The first key injured member of the Nationals lineup is on the verge of returning to the active roster. Anthony Rendon is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list Tuesday, and manager Davey Martinez said the club is preparing for its star third baseman to be activated for the second game of this week's series against the Brewers. "He's going to hit today in the cage," Martinez said. "And then hopefully barring no setbacks, he should be ready tomorrow." Rendon, who hasn't...

Yesterday's postponement due to inclement weather, the third for the Orioles this season, has pushed back the starters while keeping them in order. Manager Brandon Hyde sees no reason to tamper with the rotation and leapfrog anyone. Left-hander John Means opens tonight's series against the Red Sox instead of closing out the Rays series yesterday. David Hess and Andrew Cashner will start the next two nights leading into Thursday's off-day. Dan Straily was supposed to pitch Wednesday, but...

New Orioles right-hander Shawn Armstrong has been an Oriole for a week and a day now. He was claimed off waivers from Seattle on April 28 and has made two scoreless appearances for the club, pitching two innings. He quickly got over feeling like the new kid in class and he said he had his teammates and really the entire organization to thank for that. "The guys have been the best," Armstrong said this afternoon. "(Paul) Fry and (David) Hess, as soon as I got here they kind of helped me out...

Orioles left-hander Richard Bleier is beginning an injury rehab assignment Tuesday night at Single-A Frederick, his recovery from shoulder tendinitis no longer keeping him down in Florida. Bleier said he'll make a couple of appearances for the Keys and a couple with Double-A Bowie and later report to Triple-A Norfolk, estimating that he'll need more than five appearances in the minors before the Orioles will consider activating him from the injured list. "I'm definitely looking forward to...