The Orioles announced today that John Vidalin will join the organization as Chief Operating Officer for Business Operations. Vidalin will oversee day-to-day operations of the Orioles' business departments, including revenue (ticket sales and corporate partnerships), branding, customer experience, ballpark operations, and event development. Vidalin will officially join the organization in early August. "John's senior executive experience working for some of the most iconic sports team brands...

On the anniversary of the signing of left fielder Juan Soto, the Washington Nationals agreed to terms with 17 international free agents on Monday. Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo and vice president of international operations Johnny DiPuglia made the announcement, which includes 12 players from the Dominican Republic. Moidesto Ullua, the same scout who found Soto, signed nine of those players. Soto was signed on July 2, 2015. Three years later, he was...

Davey Martinez praised the Nationals for the effort they displayed during Monday night's 4-3 loss to the Red Sox, right down to Anthony Rendon's scorched line out to left field for the final out in the bottom of the ninth. "If they keep playing with that kind of intensity, we'll start winning games," the rookie manager said. "Things will turn around for us. Think about it, the last ball hit was smoked. I think it was 111 mph off the bat (actually 105 mph). So I got no problem with the way...

Orioles minor league outfielder Ryan McKenna was the organization's minor league Player of the Month for May. Yesterday McKenna got the same honor for June. The Orioles minor league Pitcher of the Month for June was lefty Zac Lowther. He got that same honor in April. McKenna, the club's fourth-round pick in 2015, hit .341 with three homers and 19 runs during the month. It included his representing Single-A Frederick in the Carolina League All-Star game and then getting a promotion on June 21...

The Nationals keep doing just enough to lose ballgames. When they need to drive in the tying runner in scoring position, they strand him. When they need to keep a deficit at one run, they give a run back. When they need to make sure all 27 outs they make are at the plate, they make one on the bases. Is it any wonder they keep losing one-run games? Add tonight's 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Red Sox to the mix. It's the Nationals' fifth straight loss by one run, their 16th of the season...

The Orioles broke camp with two Rule 5 picks in their bullpen. Nestor Cortes Jr. and Pedro Araujo are gone, the latter still in the organization but on the disabled list. The dip in experience now comes from rookies Ryan Meisinger and Paul Fry, who made their major league debuts on the same night. Miguel Castro has appeared in 110 games with three teams, but he's only 23 and striving to gain consistency and a better relationship with the strike zone. Tanner Scott has appeared in only 23 games...

When things aren't going well, Davey Martinez is a big believer in the "less-is-more" approach. He's a big believer in it, in part, because he saw it work firsthand last year in Chicago. The Cubs, you may have forgotten, entered the 2017 All-Star break two games under .500 and 5 1/2 games back in the National League Central. At some point that summer, manager Joe Maddon (with input from Martinez, his bench coach) decided to cancel batting practice and have his struggling players just show...

The Nationals believe they could have Matt Adams back on their active roster Wednesday, with Ryan Zimmerman on track to return next week and Matt Wieters still shooting for a return right around the All-Star break. All three injured position players took at-bats in a simulated game this afternoon, facing a couple of minor leaguers the club brought in to pitch on a day with the heat index at 106. And all three emerged from the session feeling well, they and manager Davey Martinez said. Adams is...

Manager: Paul Molitor (4th season) Record: 35-48 Last 10 games: 2-8 Who to watch: LF Eddie Rosario (.308 with 18 HR, 52 RBIs), SS Eduardo Escobar (50 RBIs, 34 doubles), 2B Brian Dozier (34 RBIs), RF Max Kepler (29 RBIs) RHP Kyle Gibson (3.48 ERA), RHP Fernando Rodney (17 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 2-1 Pitching probables: July 5: RHP Andrew Cashner (2-8) vs. RHP Aaron Slegers (0-0), 8:10 p.m., MASN2July 6: RHP Dylan Bundy (6-7) vs. RHP Lance Lynn (5-7), 8:10 p.m., MASN2July 7: RHP Kevin...