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The teams jockeying for position in the Manny Machado sweepstakes aren't hanging in one spot.
The Braves, for example, seem less inclined to make a serious run at him as the days pass. They were Top 5 a few weeks ago, but the list didn't include the Yankees. And the Phillies, who were fourth, have moved past the Diamondbacks due to an increase in recent talks and depth of farm system.
The Dodgers haven't gone away. Far from it.
Of course, these rankings aren't based on a solid formula....
NEW YORK - When Nationals players held their closed-door meeting following a July 4 loss to the Red Sox, they found themselves one game under .500. They were in third place in the National League East, seven games behind the first-place Braves, 5 1/2 games behind the second-place Phillies.
All agreed it was time to get serious, time to start making up some ground.
As luck would have it, the schedule was about to get more favorable, as well. After a difficult stretch that included games with the...
The Orioles are now 2-24 this year when they score one run or no runs. And yes, it is hard to win doing that. You pretty much have to win 1-0. In fact, you do have to win by that score, and they did last night over Texas.
Right-hander Yefry RamÃrez had another strong start going the first five innings, but he didn't get the win. Reliever Brad Brach did. RamÃrez, Brach, Donnie Hart, Mychal Givens and Zach Britton teamed on a four-hitter with 12 strikeouts to give the Orioles their second...
Orioles manager Buck Showalter isn't ready to announce his starter for Sunday's series finale against the Rangers, which also closes out the season's first half. He's going to let everyone know in the morning, with the likely choices Miguel Castro and Mike Wright Jr.
Showalter seems intent on taking someone out of the bullpen and leaving Chris Tillman at Triple-A Norfolk.
Wright logged 1 1/3 innings and threw 39 pitches on Wednesday. Castro worked a scoreless inning the following night...
The Orioles didn't plan on sending down Yefry RamÃrez after tonight's game, no matter how he pitched. They need a starter for Sunday and were ready to recall Jimmy Yacabonis before an illness nixed those plans, but RamÃrez wasn't going to be the corresponding move.
Filling out the rotation after the All-Star break includes keeping RamÃrez in it, a byproduct of the team falling out of contention early and a spot remaining open after Chris Tillman was placed on the disabled list. They...
Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson never lost his love for the Orioles. He's now been given more avenues to show it.
The Orioles have hired Robinson, 81, as a special advisor to the team, bringing him back to Camden Yards and in the community.
Robinson walked into the press box and announced that he won't be playing or managing. He won't be offering baseball advice, the game becoming too complicated with its analytics and new rules. But he's prepared to do whatever is asked to...
NEW YORK - As the bottom of the fifth arrived at Citi Field, Davey Martinez knew what he needed from Austin Voth: one more scoreless inning. One more clean inning, and the rookie manager could pull his rookie starter and be content with the three early runs he allowed, at the very least giving his team a chance to come back from that three-run deficit with four innings yet to play.
But as the bottom of the fifth played out, it became apparent that best-case scenario simply wasn't going to come...
NEW YORK - These days, it feels like it takes four singles in a row for the Nationals to score one run. Imagine how aggravating it was for them when they watched the Mets turn that into a three-run outburst in today's game.
Despite relatively weak contact and nothing more than a single, the Mets managed to manufacture three runs in the bottom of the second today against Austin Voth and take a 3-0 lead on the reeling Nationals.
And then, just when it looked like he might close out his major...
The Orioles need a starter for Sunday's series finale.
Jimmy Yacabonis is unavailable due to an illness - he was tested yesterday for strep throat - and manager Buck Showalter might resort to a bullpen game against the Rangers. His options depend on which relievers are needed tonight to back up rookie starter Yefry RamÃrez.
Showalter mentioned Chris Tillman again as a "possibility," but the club prefers to keep him at Triple-A Norfolk for Sunday's game against Gwinnett at Harbor...
NEW YORK - Davey Martinez said Friday night he'd speak to Bryce Harper today about the manner in which he ran out (or didn't run out) a double-play grounder during the Nationals' 4-2 loss to the Mets, and the rookie manager indeed met with his star outfielder this morning.
The message that was delivered?
"I've spoken to Bryce," Martinez said, "and that's a conversation that will stay between Bryce and I."
Martinez did acknowledge after Friday's game, though, that he would have...