The Major League Baseball announced for August 24-26 games the players will wear special uniforms with their nicknames instead of last names on their backs. Here are the nicknames for the Nationals: Matt Adams: "BIG CITY" Joaquin Benoit: "JACK" Wilmer Difo: "EL DE" Sean Doolittle: "DOC" Adam Eaton: "SPANKY" Erick Fedde: "FEDDECCINI" Koda Glover: "BEAR" Gio Gonzalez: "DOUBLE G" Matt Grace: "GRACEY" Bryce Harper: "MONDO" Jeremy Hellickson: "HELLY" Kelvin Herrera: "K 40"...

Michael A. Taylor played the part of "super sub" Thursday, contributing on offense and defense to a help the Nationals earn a split of their four-game set with the Braves, 6-3. Taylor smacked a solo shot and made a spectacular diving catch of a dying bloop shot off the bat of Kurt Suzuki as the Nats earned their 59th win of the season. At the start of the game, both Taylor and Adam Eaton provided key outfield assists to prevent the Braves from scoring runs. Manager Davey Martinez sighted the...

After going 3-6 on a road trip to New York, Texas and St. Petersburg, the Orioles return home tonight to face Boston with a record of 35-80. They are playing .304 baseball with 47 games to go. At this win percentage they would finish 49-113. Tonight they face this Boston team, which has almost the exact opposite record at 81-35. Boston lost to Toronto last night to see a six-game win streak end. But the Red Sox have won 10 of 12 and 25 of their past 31 games. They are 39-15 versus AL East teams...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Chris Davis walked up the left field line at Tropicana Field before batting practice this week, found a box seat in the second row and joked about becoming the guy whose name was etched in a tiny gold plate. If only it were that simple for Davis to escape his own skin. He isn't looking for pity, which rarely comes to a man who's being paid $161 million to play a sport. But the chance to duck the spotlight and the steady flow of criticism was embraced beneath the...

Manager: Joe Maddon (4th season) Record: 66-48 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 2B Javier Báez (25 HR, 88 RBIs, 19 SB), LF Kyle Schwarber (20 HR, 48 RBIs), 1B Anthony Rizzo (17 HR, 74 RBI), 3B David Bote (.338), RHP Pedro Strop (2.74 ERA, 8 SV) Season series vs. Nationals: 0-0 Pitching probables: Aug. 10: RHP Jeremy Hellickson (5-2) vs. RHP Kyle Hendricks (8-9), 2:20 p.m., MASNAug. 11: RHP Tanner Roark (6-12) vs. LHP Jon Lester (12-4), 4:05 p.m., MASNAug. 12: RHP Max Scherzer (15-5) vs. LHP...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - While the buzz continues surrounding Triple-A center fielder Cedric Mullins and his anticipated arrival in Baltimore, perhaps on the upcoming homestand, maybe as early as the weekend, Joey Rickard is fighting to hold onto his roster spot. He's gotten used to it, his minor league options always placing him on the bubble. But give him more games against the Rays and he'd become immovable. Plucked from Tampa Bay's organization in the 2015 Rule 5 draft, Rickard appears to...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Adam Jones is out of the Orioles' lineup tonight for the usual reason at Tropicana Field or Rogers Centre in Toronto. Manager Buck Showalter wanted to get Jones off the artificial surface and allow him to rest his legs. It's become a common practice. "We kind of talked about that long before we came in here," Showalter said. "We talked about it before we came here for the series. This is one of the places, really a lot of wear and tear on his legs here. "He'll be...

In a game they had to win, left-hander Gio Gonzalez dug down deep to deliver a convincing seven-inning gem as the Nationals split their series with the second-place Braves, 6-3. The win for the southpaw snapped a personal seven-game losing streak dating back to May 28 at Baltimore. Gonzalez allowed only a second inning Nick Markakis solo shot and walked one over those seven frames, striking out three, and scattering five other hits. The Nats enjoyed RBIs from six different players in their...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles conclude their road trip tonight with Adam Jones out of the lineup. Joey Rickard is playing center field and batting eighth. Jace Peterson is leading off and playing right field. Jonathan Villar moves down to third in the order. Austin Wynns is catching. David Hess gets another chance to solidify a spot in the rotation. His ERA is up to 6.41 after he allowed five earned runs (seven total) in 3 1/3 innings in Texas. Hess has made two starts and one relief...

When the Orioles play the series finale tonight at Tropicana Field versus the Rays, they have a chance to get a rare road series win. The Orioles have played 18 road series on the season, winning just three, going 3-13-2. After splitting the first two games in this series, tonight's winner will take two of three. The Orioles lost in walk-off fashion 4-3 on Tuesday night. Last night Trey Mancini's two-run double in the ninth provided a 5-4 win. The Orioles won a road series April 5-8, taking...