The last 10 games of the season can't pass without another dive into the ol' "mailbag," which requires actual quotation marks because air quotes won't work here. I tend to gravitate toward the duplicates, hoping that an answer will eliminate the repetition. But I've learned over the years that it doesn't really work. At least we're having fun, right? Right? I'm running low on movie sequel titles. Similar to how the Orioles are running out of starters. But I'm not injured and I'm not...

The Mets hit a pair of home runs against Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer in the third inning. Michael Conforto hit a two-run shot and Jay Bruce followed with a solo homer. Even with the home runs allowed, Scherzer has struck out seven in four innings. He has 284 strikeouts for the season, matching his team record and career high. Bryce Harper walked in the first inning. He has walked in six consecutive plate appearances dating to his five-walk outing at Miami on Tuesday night. He has 124...

One goal for the Nationals as the season winds down is getting starts for younger pitchers and seeing how they can do in pressure situations. This will allow manager Davey Martinez and his staff to get the hurlers that spent a lot of time at Triple-A the valuable experience in big league games and see if they can get through those high-leverage situations for future opportunities. Right-hander Jefry Rodriguez, 25, has started eight games and made 11 total appearances. He has 3-2 record but also...

The Nationals tonight play their 153rd game of the season. Trea Turner tonight plays in his 153rd game of the season. "I appreciate the fact he goes out there and plays every day," manager Davey Martinez said. "It's hard to do these days. I talk to him and ask if he needs a day off, and he's good to go. He loves to play." Turner hasn't started all 153 of those games. Four times this season he has been out of the lineup but still appeared off the bench. Even so, the Nationals shortstop is...

And so we have come to the final homestand of the 2018 season. The Nationals host the Mets for four games, then the Marlins for three before hitting the road for an admittedly odd final series at Colorado next weekend. There will be time for some sentimentality once we reach the later stages of the homestand, but for now it's all business. Especially for the man on the mound tonight. Max Scherzer makes what lines up to be the first of three more starts this season. That number is significant,...

The Orioles will take small victories when they can get them right now. Heck, they will take any victories at this point. And last night they got one that had a distinctive homegrown flavor. At a time when the Orioles are looking to rebuild in the future and use some of their own draft picks to do so, their 2-1 win over Toronto was a product with a heavy farm system flavor Wednesday night. The O's used spot starter Jimmy Yacabonis and four bullpen pitchers. Four of the pitchers used were...

By now, you've probably heard about the Nationals' new Triple-A affiliate: the Fresno Grizzlies. And yes, that's Fresno, Calif., not Fresno, Ohio. Fresno was not the Nats' first choice for a new Triple-A affiliate, mostly because of its inconvenient location. It's not only the 2,800 miles that separate it from Washington, but the fact the closest nonstop flight you can get from Fresno to Washington is Chicago. Which, as you know, isn't particularly close to Washington. How did this...

Manager: Mickey Callaway (1st season) Record: 70-82 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: LF Michael Conforto (26 HR, 121 hits); SS Amed Rosario (.260 with 133 hits, 21 SB); 1B Wilmer Flores (.267 with 11 HR, 51 RBIs); 3B Todd Frazier (84 hits, 58 RBIs); RHP Jacob deGrom (8-9, 1.78 ERA); LHP Steven Matz (5-11, 4.03 ERA); RHP Robert Gsellman (3.97 ERA, 11 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 8-7 Pitching probables: Sept. 20: LHP Jason Vargas (6-9) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (17-7); 7:05 p.m., MASNSept. 21:...

A 44th win in the 152nd game of the season can only hold so many positives. The rest may seem forced. However, manager Buck Showalter could appreciate last night how a team with so many inexperienced and unproven components played such a crisp game in defeating the Blue Jays 2-1. The long walk down the hallway that leads to the interview room didn't seem like it stretched for miles. Jimmy Yacabonis works four scoreless innings in his fifth major league start. DJ Stewart hits his first major...

They are not a rock band, but tonight Jimmy and the bullpen got it done for the Orioles. Right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis went the first four innings and the bullpen took it from there. The O's hung on late for a 2-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Camden Yards. The Orioles (44-108) end the homestand going 3-6. In each series - against Oakland, the Chicago White Sox and Toronto - they lost the first two games, but avoided the sweep by taking the series finale. DJ Stewart hit his first career...