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...

SARASOTA, Fla. - New Orioles outfielder Eric Young Jr. is ready for some double duty in spring camp. He is trying to win a job and roster spot for his new team while at the same time very ready to help any young players that need advice - including some who might win a roster spot that keeps him off the team. It's kind of the definition of unselfish and being a real pro. After 10 seasons and 651 games in the majors, Young is ready for others to benefit from the experience he gained in time...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Max Scherzer served up a home run to the second batter he faced in Florida last spring, and everything worked out just fine for the Nationals ace by season's end. He can only hope this season will play out in a similar fashion after he served up a homer to the very first batter he faced tonight in his spring debut. Taking the ball for the Nationals' Grapefruit League opener against the Astros, Scherzer surrendered a towering homer over the center field wall to leadoff...

SARASOTA, Fla. - In his first game as a major league manager, albeit one that didn't count in real standings, Brandon Hyde placed zero importance on the final score. As the Orioles readied to take batting practice this morning on another sun-splashed Sarasota day, he sat in the home dugout at Ed Smith Stadium and insisted that he cared only about evaluating the performances. Take in the good and the bad and discuss. A "straight evaluation deal," as he put it. Most of what unfolded in front...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals are fielding a fairly representative lineup for tonight's Grapefruit League opener, with Adam Eaton, Howie Kendrick, Juan Soto, Anthony Rendon, Matt Adams and Yan Gomes among the guys starting against the Astros. Those regulars who aren't playing tonight will be seeing action within a matter of days, and that includes the guy who sat out most of spring training last year. Ryan Zimmerman is slated to make his 2019 debut early next week, according to...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Though the batting order in the first exhibition game shouldn't be viewed as a precursor to the regular season lineups, Cedric Mullins carried the look of a legitimate leadoff hitter today against the Twins. Mullins walked, stole second base and scored in the first inning, doubled and scored in the third, and singled and scored in the fifth, as the Orioles posted a 7-2 victory at Ed Smith Stadium. Christopher Bostick replaced Mullins in center field, another movable piece...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Yes, there's a ballgame being played tonight. At last. The Nationals host the Astros at their shared complex in the Grapefruit League opener for both teams, the first of six head-to-head matchups over the next month. They're going to get to know each other very well. There is a slight difference in the two teams' lineups for tonight's opener. A.J. Hinch doesn't have a whole lot of experience on his lineup card, though there are some top prospects in there. Davey...