It's been an admittedly negative first couple of games to the Nationals season, what with back-to-back losses to the Mets that included defensive gaffes, baserunning gaffes and bullpen gaffes. But today's a new day, so let's try to think positively if only for a few minutes. Here are some encouraging developments through the first 18 innings of the 2019 season in D.C. ... * Juan Soto is doing Juan Soto things, The 20-year-old left fielder has picked up right where he left off as a...

The game began with an Orioles pitcher getting out of a big jam and it ended the same way. Nate Karns began the day as an opener and Mike Wright ended it as a surprise closer. They both got big outs and the Orioles got a few in between as well in beating the Yankees 5-3 on Saturday. They provided manager Brandon Hyde with his first win as O's skipper. Jimmy Yacabonis picked up his third career victory and Wright his first career save. He had not had one before either in the minors or...

NEW YORK - Reliever Cody Carroll, cut from the Orioles' camp roster on March 17 and optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, is headed to the injured list. Carroll is dealing with some soreness in his lower back that's keeping him off the break-camp roster. There didn't appear to be any health issues with Carroll before he reported to Twin Lakes Park. He recorded his third save in his final exhibition outing on March 16 and allowed two runs and five hits with one walk and nine strikeouts over seven...

It had been 19 months since Trevor Rosenthal last took the mound in a major league game, and so the veteran reliever understandably was happy about that important fact. "It was an exciting day, obviously," he said. "Getting out there for the first time, the situation, it was a good experience and something I really enjoyed and look forward to happening again." Rosenthal said all this with a smile on his face, but behind the smile was the recognition that he's only allowed to look on the...

NEW YORK - Brandon Hyde's first managerial win in the majors made him smell like he just rolled out of a brewery. What actually happened is Hyde was rolled into the shower area in a laundry cart and doused in beer, soda, water, syrup and anything else that players could find. Game 2 of the 2019 season felt like Game 7 of the postseason. The Orioles hung on to defeat the Yankees 5-3 and there wasn't a dry manager's eye in the house. "Well, I'm dripping right now. Who knows what that is?"...

Some good, some bad for center fielder Victor Robles in his second game with the Nationals in 2019. The Mets dropped the Nats 11-8 Saturday afternoon. Robles went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. But defensively he was charged with a throwing error and was picked off first base following his base hit. Defensively, Robles had a tough time making some plays in center field early in the game. He did not get a good read on Jeff McNeil's triple in the first inning that gave the Mets a 3-0...

They were sloppy in the field and sloppy on the bases again, digging themselves into an early hole that had South Capitol Street grumbling again only 48 hours after a fundamentally flawed opening day loss. But when the Nationals clawed their way back to tie up the game thanks to the exploits of young outfielders Juan Soto and Victor Robles, the ballpark came back to life, now believing things were pointed in a positive direction after a ragged first 11 innings to the season. And then the...

NEW YORK - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde wants aggression from his team. On the mound and on the basepaths. He's been preaching it since the first day of camp and the start of the regular season doesn't alter the message. If they're going to make a mistake, don't let it come from being too passive. The Orioles took the lead over the Yankees this afternoon by sticking with that exact approach. Jesús Sucre tagging up and going second to third on a line drive to center. A double steal...

Both of today's starters, Stephen Strasburg and Noah Syndergaard, struck out the side in the first inning. But during those frames, the teams combined for four runs and six hits. The Mets enjoyed a two-run double from Wilson Ramos and an RBI triple courtesy of Jeff McNeil to lead 3-0 off of Strasburg in the first. The Nats countered with a two-out Anthony Rendon double off the bottom of the right field wall. Juan Soto delivered a seeing-eye single to right field to plate Rendon. In the second,...

NEW YORK - The reverse splits that Yankees left-hander James Paxton brings into today's start couldn't convince Orioles manager Brandon Hyde to include Chris Davis in his lineup. Davis and Cedric Mullins are on the bench as the Orioles continue their opening series at Yankee Stadium. Davis struck out in all three at-bats Thursday, and Renato Núñez batted for him in the ninth inning against left-hander Aroldis Chapman. Mullins is a switch-hitter with much better numbers from the left...