NEW YORK - If you're not going to take a few chances and push some buttons you don't normally push on the final day before the All-Star break, when are you going to do it? Davey Martinez, who on Thursday afternoon spoke of the urgency he and his Nationals needed to show in this weekend's series against the Mets, did just that in today's first-half finale. In the top of the seventh inning of a tie game, the bases loaded and nobody out, Michael A. Taylor at the plate, Martinez called upon...

The applause for Manny Machado today as he walked up to the plate in the first inning had a familiar sound to it. But also a slightly different feel. Maybe it's just imaginations at work with Machado likely to be traded later this month, but there seemed to be an air of farewell. If Machado played his last game at Camden Yards as an Oriole, he punctuated it with a solo home run in the first in a 6-5 victory over the Rangers before an announced crowd of 18,754. Zach Britton allowed a two-out...

If Carter Kieboom looks at home at his stall in the U.S. Team clubhouse at Nationals Park, it's with good reason: He's been there before. Back at the end of spring training, when the Nats hosted the Twins in the final exhibition game before the regular season, Kieboom was in a Nationals uniform, set up in a swath of temporary lockers on one side of the room. Now, as he prepares to represent the Nationals in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, he's in the high-rent district - or roughly at a...

WASHINGTON - Today's SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game is a real showcase for some of the best talent in minor league baseball. From last year's rosters for Team USA and the World team, 23 of those players have already been on a major league roster or disabled list in 2018. The Orioles have one player on each roster today. Neither will start the game, but around midgame we could see both Double-A Bowie third baseman Ryan Mountcastle enter as a reserve for the U.S. and Single-A Frederick lefty...

NEW YORK - The Nationals will close out the first half of their season with a lineup that doesn't include Bryce Harper or Daniel Murphy, and with a couple extra arms in their bullpen in case they're needed. Both Harper and Murphy were given today's game against the Mets off by manager Davey Martinez, who wanted to give each guy a chance to rest, for different reasons. Harper had started 93 of the Nationals' first 95 games and was used as a pinch-hitter in one other. He had started 36...

As manager Buck Showalter and pitching coach Roger McDowell line up the post-break rotation, they're cognizant of the need to give right-hander Kevin Gausman an extended break before his next outing. Gausman won't pitch again until July 23 against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. His most recent start came in Thursday night's makeup game against the Phillies, when he allowed five runs and a career-high 12 hits over five innings to leave his ERA at 4.33 in 112 1/3 innings. "Trying to give...

Miguel Castro gets the start today for the Orioles as they close out the first half against the Rangers. Mike Wright Jr. also is expected to pitch behind Castro. Trey Mancini is on the bench, but he's fine. Manager Buck Showalter said he wanted to get Joey Rickard in the lineup. Danny Valencia is the designated hitter. Mark Trumbo is in right field. Showalter is deciding whether Andrew Cashner starts Saturday in Toronto, followed by Alex Cobb on Sunday, or whether he reverses the order. Kevin...

The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Trevor Gott from Triple-A Syracuse and optioned right-handed pitcher Austin Voth to Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Gott, 25, returns to the Nationals for his fourth stint of the 2018 season. He has appeared in 18 games out of Washington's bullpen, securing two holds while going 0-2 with a 4.96 ERA. He has inherited eight runners in 18 games and...

The Orioles today play host to the Texas Rangers to wrap up a three-game series and an eight-game homestand. It is the final game before the All-Star break, with the All-Star Game set for Tuesday night in Washington. Texas beat the Orioles 5-4 Friday night, but the Orioles beat the Rangers 1-0 last night. The Orioles (27-69) have played five one-run games on the homestand, winning three and losing two. They are 8-17 in one-run decisions for the season. The Orioles last night improved to 8-51...

NEW YORK - The first half of the season wraps up today, though as has been pointed out already, the season is well beyond the actual halfway point. Today is Game 96 for the Nationals, and if they want to reach a Game 163 they're going to have to play a whole lot better the rest of the way, beginning this afternoon. Jeremy Hellickson will need to give his team a quality start. And Davey Martinez will need to be willing to have a quick hook on his starter, as he has all season to date. No need...