Manny Machado remains the only Orioles player to appear in the latest update in All-Star Game balloting in the American League. Machado ranks first among shortstops with 960,628 votes, putting him ahead of the Astros' Carlos Correa (793,087). The Yankees' Didi Gregorius is third with 639,630. Eight different teams are represented among the nine leaders. The group includes two players from the Red Sox and one each from the Orioles, White Sox, Indians, Astros, Angels, Yankees and Rays. This...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman is not on this trip but he is closer to a return from his right oblique strain that has kept him sidelined since May 10. He has now missed 39 games. Manager Davey Martinez said he will speak to Zimmerman about rehab games possibly for next week, even though the veteran may not be too excited about warming up in the minor leagues. "As soon as he's ready to play, I'll have to sit down and talk to him," Martinez said. "I'd like...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Nationals look to rebound after a very difficult 11-0 loss to open their series against the Rays. The game was dominated by Tampa Bay. Left-hander Gio Gonzalez struggled in facing only 11 batters, allowing six runs. The offense did not fare any better against left-hander Blake Snell, getting only one hit in the seventh inning. So, the club turns to their ace again, right-hander Max Scherzer (10-3, 2.09 ERA), who is seeking his 11th win of the season. His last victory...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Nationals' youngest player, Juan Soto, has demonstrated in his first couple of months in the big leagues that he has a knowledge and maturity for hitting that is certainly beyond his years. At 19 years of age, Soto has hit the ball to the opposite field for power, and has the awareness to take a walk in high leverage situations when a pitcher is struggling to throw strikes. Instead of just swinging away, like most young players might do, Soto has the presence of mind...

In their latest loss last night, this one against Seattle, Orioles pitchers gave up just seven hits, but they walked 10 batters. That tied for the most in a game this year and it was a significant factor in a 5-3 loss to the Mariners. The Orioles seemed to have plenty of reasons to be angry at home plate umpire Stu Scheurwater for his balk call on Darren O'Day in the ninth last night. It led to ejections for O'Day and manager Buck Showalter. But all those walks and producing just four hits on...

The Orioles have played seven games since recalling catcher Caleb Joseph from Triple-A Norfolk and he's started six of them, including last night's series opener against the Mariners at Camden Yards. There's no platoon with two right-handed hitting catchers on the roster. There's no timeshare behind the plate. Joseph is the undisputed regular as the Orioles envisioned when they opened camp in February. Rookie Chance Sisco eventually could have seized the role, but the Orioles optioned him...

Orioles reliever Darren O'Day has been called for two balks in a major league career spanning 11 seasons and 576 games. Umpire Stu Scheurwater, hired in December to a full-time position, is responsible for both of them. Tonight's call in the ninth inning led to O'Day's first career ejection and the 32nd for manager Buck Showalter in a 5-3 loss to the Mariners at Camden Yards. O'Day appeared to retire Nelson Cruz on a popup to Chris Davis in foul territory after Mitch Hanigan's leadoff...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Left-hander Gio Gonzalez has made starts where he was off a bit. But Monday night at Tropicana Field, Gonzalez was unable to get into any kind of a rhythm. It got so bad for the southpaw that he faced seven batters in the second inning without recording an out. After walking one batter in the first, he still was able to get out of the frame by inducing flyout and getting former teammate Wilson Ramos on a called third strike. But in the second, the Rays C.J. Cron started...

Orioles pitchers tonight issued 10 walks. At times, they came in bunches and that was pretty costly. Baltimore walks led to four runs as the Seattle Mariners beat the Orioles 5-3 in front of 21,202 at Oriole Park. It was the opener of a four-game series and seven-game homestand. The Orioles, now 4-4 in their last eight games, are 23-54 for the year and have lost 13 of 17 and 22 of their last 30. The Orioles are 1-12 in their last 13 home games. Seattle, winning for the second time in eight...

The Orioles have surrendered any hope of structuring their preferred 25-man roster moving forward in the 2018 season. Can't be done after left-hander Richard Bleier underwent surgery to repair a Grade 3 tear in his latissimus dorsi muscle. And no one is certain whether Chris Tillman, signed for the back end of the rotation, will complete a successful rehab assignment and rejoin the club. But manager Buck Showalter could sit in the dugout tonight, scan the field and find his projected starters...