-1745819772711.png){kind=logo}
TORONTO - The so-called second half of the season - the post All-Star part - began for the Orioles in similar fashion to much of their first half. They suffered a brutal loss, one where the winning hit kicked off or under the gloves of both left-side infielders. Tim Beckham was at short and Renato Núñez at third. They couldn't make the play and Toronto produced an 8-7, 10-inning win.
The Orioles are 0-5 this season at Rogers Centre and three of those losses were walk-off losses in the...
More on Friday night's 8-5 loss to the Braves that was not related to the Stephen Strasburg-Max Scherzer dugout dustup ...
* Davey Martinez's most delicate lineup decisions as the second half of the season opens is at first base, with Ryan Zimmerman back off the disabled list but Matt Adams remaining one of the team's most productive hitters.
Martinez didn't hesitate to start Adams on Friday night, opting to go with the hot-hitting lefty slugger against Braves right-hander Anibal Sanchez....
The Nationals' 8-5 loss to the Braves had ended only minutes earlier when Davey Martinez summoned Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer to his office and closed the door. It would be roughly 15 minutes before that door reopened, and though no one was revealing the precise details of what was said during that meeting, it was clear the session was necessary after what transpired in the dugout during the top of the fifth.
Strasburg, who had just been removed by Martinez after allowing six runs in 4...
The Braves took down the Nationals 8-5 thanks to an offense that collected 12 hits, including five doubles and two homers, while grabbing the first game of a critical three-game set to begin the second half of the 2018 season.
The Nationals appeared to be ready to duke it out with Atlanta after the Braves plated two in the first frame.
Adam Eaton walked to lead off the bottom of the first. Trea Turner laid down a sacrifice bunt to push Eaton to second. Bryce Harper singled to put runners at...
TORONTO - On a night where Dylan Bundy struggled, the Orioles offense finally didn't. But it still did not lead to a win. After the Orioles scored five late runs to tie this game, Toronto won 8-7 via a walk-off single in the last of the 10th.
Facing lefty Paul Fry, who got the last out of the ninth and with two outs and no one on, Russell Martin got an infield hit when shortstop Tim Beckham could not make an accurate off-balance throw on a grounder on the left side. A walk followed and then...
They said and did all the right things before the game. They went through a spirited afternoon workout that included a focus on defense and baserunning. They all wore customized shirseys with their regular numbers on the back but the world "NATIONALS" replacing their last names. They spoke of the need to play as one and to treat every remaining series on the schedule as critical.
Then the Nationals took the field and opened the second half of their season with an 8-5 loss to the Braves that...
The Braves moved quickly to score first against the Nats right-hander Stephen Strasburg. Ronald Acuña Jr., singled and stole second. Ozzie Albies doubled to score Acuña. Freddie Freeman's grounder to third base was enough to score Albies because first baseman Matt Adams had to stretch to the ground to catch the throw from third baseman Anthony Rendon.
The Nationals were aggressive in their own right in the bottom of the first against Braves starter AnÃbal Sánchez. Adam Eaton walked...
Nationals assistant general manager and vice president Doug Harris has been battling leukemia since 2015. In May of 2017, it appeared he had defeated the cancer, with the bone marrow transplant appearing to take full effect.
But the cancer was not completely eliminated. The next step for Harris is a doctor-recommended CAR-T cell therapy, which is still in trial research. The therapy is extremely expensive. His wife, Lisa, has set up a GoFundMe page to try to offset the cost.
The Harrises are...
Don't do the math.
It's the best piece of advice for Orioles players who will stay on the roster in the second half and finish out a season that's exceeded their worst fears.
Second baseman Jonathan Schoop was digging for a positive nugget while a couple of reporters stood at his locker in Minnesota. Just as easily as the team has lost, he said, it could turn around and suddenly win 20 in a row. Keep the faith.
It's doubtful that Schoop really believed that the Orioles could go on such a...
TORONTO - Manny Machado has been traded and Orioles closer Zach Britton could be next, with multiple teams seeking relief help at a time when Britton is gaining velocity and has put together seven straight scoreless appearances.
I asked Britton if he or his agent have been seeking information from the club on the state of trade talks.
"Scott Boras kind of lets them do their thing," said Britton. "If there is anything important, they normally reach out. But we've had enough conversations...