ST. LOUIS - This isn't the Nationals' longest road trip of the season. It only feels like it. And because of that, the 41 games that still remain on the schedule in 2018 are perilously close to losing all significance. With a lackluster 4-2 loss at Busch Stadium tonight, the Nationals dropped their third straight to the Cardinals and fell to 1-5 on this season-defining trip through Chicago and St. Louis. They are now, stunningly, the owners of a losing record at 60-61. And with the Braves...

The Orioles' Dylan Bundy and the Mets' Zack Wheeler were the starters in a June 6 game at Citi Field and posted almost identical lines. Three hits and five strikeouts over seven scoreless innings. They met again tonight at Camden Yards and both right-handers allowed leadoff singles in the first inning on the eighth pitch of the at-bat. There had to be a separator or it would get creepy. Bundy surrendered two runs in the top of the first, Wheeler only one. Bundy threw 29 pitches, but Wheeler...

So my broadcast partner, Mike Bordick, shows up one day with a tome of a book easily useable for weightlifting and says he really likes this work. That was all I needed to hear to start egging him on to join me on Hitting the Books and tell us all why he liked "The Silk Roads: A New History of the World" by Peter Frankopan, a monumental work that bends the weight of the world's development to Asia and China. Only thing was, I hadn't read the book yet. So after lugging this on planes, trains...

ST. LOUIS - If Stephen Strasburg recovers from today's simulated game against Nationals teammates with no lingering issues, the right-hander could make his return to the active roster as soon as Tuesday to face the Phillies in Washington, D.C. Though Davey Martinez had previously said the plan for Strasburg, out since July 20 with a pinched nerve in his neck, included a minor league rehab start, today's 70-pitch session may have convinced club officials to speed up the process and get the...

As the Orioles look for a two-game sweep of the New York Mets tonight, they will also look for right-hander Dylan Bundy (7-10, 4.70 ERA) to get back on track. In his last start versus Boston, Bundy went five innings and allowed eight hits and eight runs (seven earned). Over his past six starts since the beginning of July, Bundy is 1-3 with a 7.72 ERA and has allowed 11 homers. He has yielded nine homers his past four starts. This stretch comes after Bundy went 3-0 with a 1.98 ERA in June. He...

The news is light this afternoon at Camden Yards. I reported earlier that the Orioles released infielder Danny Valencia from his contract. He becomes a free agent. A team will sign Valencia now that he won't require any sort of compensation in return. "I'd be surprised if they don't," said manager Buck Showalter. "I'm sure there will be some interest now that that's kind of flushed out. I'd be surprised if Danny isn't playing again shortly for somebody." Rookie catcher Austin Wynns...

ST. LOUIS - This critical road trip in the Nationals season has not gone how they would have liked, but it's not over yet. There are two games left to be played against the Cardinals, two games that could either continue the slide into oblivion or perhaps perk everyone up a bit and recapture some semblance of positive momentum. It begins tonight with Jeremy Hellickson on the mound for the Nats. It's been quite an interesting season for the right-hander. He has allowed three or fewer earned...

Rookie Austin Wynns is behind the plate tonight and Renato Núñez continues to bat second as the Orioles close out their two-game series against the Mets, as well as their latest homestand. Wynns has thrown out five of 12 runners attempting to steal. He also has five hits in 14 at-bats this month. Cedric Mullins is batting eighth tonight. Mark Trumbo is the designated hitter. Dylan Bundy shut out the Mets on three hits over seven innings in a 1-0 win on June 6 at Citi Field. Todd Frazier...

Unable to find a trade partner, the Orioles have released infielder Danny Valencia from his contract and he's free to sign with another team. Executive vice president Dan Duquette was trying to work out a deal for Valencia, 33, but couldn't make it happen. Valencia was designated for assignment on Friday to create a roster spot for center fielder Cedric Mullins. He batted .263/.316/.408 with eight doubles, one triple, nine home runs and 28 RBIs in 78 games. The Orioles started Valencia at...

I have written about a lot of different prospects here this season, with pitching prospects being more frequent. Today, I want to talk about another pitching prospect that has not gotten a whole lot of attention this season due to several factors, but right-hander Brenan Hanifee is very impressive and deserves some recognition. Hanifee, 20, was the Orioles' fourth-round pick in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Turner Ashby High School in Bridgewater, Va. At 6-foot-5, 180 lbs., Hanifee...