Davey Martinez won't look at the standings, certainly not in April. He doesn't believe it does him or his players any good to pay attention right now to the records of other teams in relation to their own record. Which is all well and good except for one teensy little fact: The Nationals head to New York tonight for the opener of a three-game series trailing the Mets in the National League East division by six games. Good luck ignoring the standings now, right? "We've got to play...

BOSTON - With no morning game at Fenway Park due to a forecast that didn't provide a window to play, the Orioles are able to make adjustments to their rotation for the Tigers series that begins Tuesday night. Andrew Cashner is pushed back to the opener at Comerica Park, followed by Kevin Gausman on Wednesday night and most likely Alex Cobb on Thursday afternoon. The Orioles will withhold making a decision on the finale until Cobb's workday. Meanwhile, the Orioles appear to be skipping Chris...

During an 8-2 start, the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds pitching staff has been outstanding. Especially Delmarva's six-man rotation, which has seen its starters allow two earned runs or less nine time in 10 games. The Shorebirds have seven pitchers on starters' schedules in a six-man rotation. Right-hander Michael Baumann started opening day and was followed by Cameron Bishop, Matthias Dietz, Brenan Hanifee, Zac Lowther and 2017 top draft pick DL Hall. Gray Fenter pitches in relief after...

There were outs inexplicably made on the bases. There were home runs being served up despite pitchers being in advantageous counts. There were countless opportunities for long, sustained rallies, the kind of opportunities made possible when you draw 10 walks to the opposition's one on the afternoon. Consider all the reasons the Nationals should have won today's game against the Rockies, not the least of which was the desperation they exhibited today trying to salvage a four-game series split...

If the Nationals intend to scrap their way back from a ragged start to their season, they're going to have to do so playing smart, fundamentally sound baseball. They certainly didn't do that today during a 6-5 loss to the Rockies that easily could have tilted in their direction had they simply not made a handful of drastic mistakes at critical moments. And because of all that, they now head to New York for the start of a three-city road trip trailing the Mets (who beat the Brewers in walk-off...

BOSTON - The weather couldn't keep the Orioles from playing today. It couldn't disturb Dylan Bundy, who operated as if conditions were normal. Fastball, slider and maybe a few shivers, but nothing he couldn't handle. Out of his control were a couple of plays behind him in the sixth inning that allowed batters to reach. Mistakes that the Red Sox parlayed into another lead and a win. Two unearned runs off Bundy and a muted offense were the difference in the Orioles' 3-1 loss to the Red Sox at...

The Nationals have not yet named a starter for Monday night's series opener against the Mets. That in itself offers a hint that the club is preparing to add veteran Jeremy Hellickson to its big league roster and send him to the mound at Citi Field. A.J. Cole is on turn to make the start, but the right-hander (who was roughed up in his season debut before improving in his second outing) has been spotted in the Nationals bullpen several times this weekend. Hellickson, meanwhile, was initially...

BOSTON - Jonathan Schoop expressed some hope today about his ability to come off the disabled list after the minimum 10 days. Oblique strains traditionally require a longer recovery period, but no one is stamping out his optimism given the disappointment he felt upon suffering the injury. "I hope 10 days," he said. "I hope in the next couple of days I'll feel better so I can start swinging and start to work on it to get better and get stronger." Manager Buck Showalter knows the odds...

The Orioles have been outscored 17-6 in the first two games of their series at Fenway Park in Boston. Today in frigid conditions, they'll send right-hander Dylan Bundy (0-1, 1.35 ERA) to the mound in search of victory. At 5-10, the Orioles are off to their worst 15-game start since the 2010 team began the season 2-13. The Orioles have lost five in a row to Boston, dating to last season. The Red Sox are 12-2, the best record they've ever had at this point in the year in their 118-year history....

As the Nationals head out on a long road trip, Daniel Murphy is heading down to Florida to start playing in extended spring training games. Murphy, now in the final stages of rehab from October microfracture knee surgery, is scheduled to fly to West Palm Beach on Monday and begin getting at-bats with others from the organization who remain at the club's complex for extended spring training. The veteran second baseman has been with the big league club throughout the season's first 2 1/2 weeks,...