Hello from South Capitol Street, where the Nationals are home for the next week-and-a-half, hosting a pair of marquee opponents (Yankees, Dodgers) and then the Padres. The matchups don't get much bigger than what's on tap the next two nights (weather permitting). No two teams in baseball are hotter right now than the Nats (who have won 13 of 15) and the Yanks (who have won 19 of 22). It'll be up to Gio Gonzalez to try to contain that ferocious New York lineup tonight, a lineup that is loaded...

Pedro Álvarez has returned to the Orioles lineup tonight after being day-to-day with tightness in his right hamstring. Álvarez is starting at third base as the Orioles begin a two-game series against the Phillies - weather permitting, of course. Mark Trumbo is in right field and Chance Sisco is catching. Jace Peterson is playing third base. Andrew Cashner has made 13 career appearances against the Phillies, including seven starts, and gone 4-1 with a 2.55 ERA and 1.095 WHIP in 49 1/3...

PenFed Credit Union, the nation's second largest federal credit union, today announced it has signed a unique and expansive sponsorship deal with the Washington Nationals Major League Baseball team. The new three-year agreement will expand upon a previous sponsorship and will designate a new, special area as "PenFed Military Appreciation Section" at Nationals Park. "PenFed has been supporting the national military community and the greater Washington community for 83 years," said James...

Fans are invited to participate in Father's Day Catch on the Field, presented by Pennington Grass Seed, on Sunday, June 17, prior to the 1:05 p.m. ET game against the Miami Marlins. Fans may purchase one of two ticket packages that include a pair of tickets for the Father's Day game and a 25-minute pregame session of catch on the field at Oriole Park. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Prostate Cancer Discovery Fund of the Brady Urological Institute of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Last...

Right-hander James Bourque is looking good so far at high Single-A Potomac. The 24-year-old former Michigan Wolverine is 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA in 11 games with two saves. He was a 14th rounder in 2014. "James Bourque is having an outstanding start in Potomac, somebody that is now two years removed from Tommy John," said Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba. "Plus fastball, curveball combination and some funk and deception in his delivery. He is someone to follow this...

At the end of play on April 28, the Nationals didn't very much look like a legitimate contender. With an 11-16 record, they found themselves in fourth place in the National League East, a full six games back of the first-place Mets, a full 4 1/2 games back of the third-place Braves. Only three teams in the NL had worse records, and all were among the group of franchises known to be tanking this season: the Padres, Marlins and Reds. So what happened? Well, since then, all the Nationals have...

The Orioles are 13-28 and for now stuck at the bottom of the American League East. It is a record that would indicate that the team's management should at least consider rebuilding the roster. Having several players that can become free agents at the end of the year could hasten such a decision. But so far we have not heard anyone from the club say that rebuilding is in the plans, even if it is being discussed behind the scenes. We have not heard that the team could begin to look more and more...

The homestand is down to its last two games before the Orioles hit the road again and hope it doesn't swing back. They're 3-16 away from Camden Yards, the wins coming in the Bronx during a four-game series against the Yankees. Their most recent excursion, to Anaheim and Oakland, raised more welts and increased the likelihood that the playoffs would proceed without them. The Orioles aren't resigned to playing for the future, to treating the remainder of the season as if holding auditions for...

Nationals fans are hopeful again, with the club coming off 6-1 road trip and threatening to return to the top of the National League East standings. One key has been the powerful bat of Matt Adams, who homered seven times in five games from May 1 through the May 7 win over San Diego. A weekly slash line of .400/.516/1.240 is impressive for the 6-foot-3, 245-pounder known as "Big City," but it brings to mind an even bigger streak by an even bigger man. Frank Howard, the 6-foot-7, 280-lb....

We may not be to Memorial Day yet, but it's not too early to start examining candidates for Most Valuable Player. The Orioles have their own this year, and it's a familiar face. Manny Machado is going to be in the conversation all season long, no matter what team he is playing for by the end of it. The 25-year-old has already twice finished in the top five in MVP voting in his career, placing fourth in 2015 before coming in fifth two seasons ago. Only five other players have sniffed the top...