NEW YORK - Third baseman Anthony Rendon is not available for tonight's first game of a critical series against the first-place Mets with a sore left big toe. "Rendon's toe is still sore," said Nationals manager Davey Martinez. "Just got to play it out and see what happens. He says he's getting a little better, but at this point he's still pretty sore." Is a disabled list visit in the offing for Rendon? Martinez said not yet. "Right now, we're just trying to see what ... it's the...

I had to dig my glove out of basement storage after arriving home late last night - flight delays providing the appropriate ending to the trip - to handle all the questions about the Orioles that have been hit to me. The experience is making me a contender for a job as utility infielder. What's wrong with the rotation? What's wrong with the offense? What's wrong with the defense? Otherwise, everything is good through the first 16 games of the season. I'm not fretting over the rotation...

Manager: Ron Gardenhire (1st year) Record: 4-9 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 1B Miguel Cabrera (.245/.309/.367, 3 doubles), 2B Dixon Machado (7 doubles, 8 RBIs), 3B Jeimer Candelario (4 doubles, 1 HR), RF Nicholas Castellanos (.302/.362/.415, 2 triples), RHP Jordan Zimmermann (0-0, 8.18 ERA), RHP Shane Greene (3.86 ERA, 2 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: First meeting (4-3 in 2017) Pitching probables: April 17: RHP Andrew Cashner (1-1) vs. LHP Francisco Liriano (1-1), 6:40 p.m., MASN2April...

Following a week in which he went 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA (2 ER/16.0 IP) and 21 strikeouts against just one walk, Nationals right-handed pitcher Max Scherzer was named the National League Player of the Week on Monday. Major League Baseball made the announcement on MLB Network. Scherzer, 33, tossed his ninth career complete game (fifth career shutout) in Monday's 2-0 win over Atlanta. He capped his evening with a strikeout of Ender Inciarte, giving him 10 strikeouts for the second time this season...

NEW YORK - Despite a rough week for the team overall, right-hander Max Scherzer was himself. And that added up to a pair of wins for the Nationals. Those two starts also garnered Scherzer National League player of the week honors. Scherzer went 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA (2 ER/16.0 IP) and 21 strikeouts with only one walk. The first win was a complete game 2-0 shutout of the Braves last Monday. It marks his ninth career complete game. He also struck out 10, giving him 66 career 10-plus strikeout...

The Orioles and Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) today announced that after a multi-year effort of research and enhancements, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded Oriole Park at Camden Yards with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for an existing building. Oriole Park joins AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., Marlins Park in Miami, Fla., and Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn., as LEED Gold certified ballparks in Major League...

BOSTON - The Orioles are preparing to make another adjustment to their roster in Detroit, where they begin a three-game series Tuesday night. Unable to play today due to rain, the Orioles announced that they optioned right-hander David Hess to Triple-A Norfolk one day after recalling him. No word on the corresponding move. Hess arrived in Boston yesterday while the Orioles optioned Donnie Hart to Norfolk. Hart wasn't going to be available for a few days after pitching in back-to-back games and...

It was great to be at the Nationals Park on Jackie Robinson Day. Even if the crowd was sparse in the cool, wet weather, it was heartwarming to see all of the players wearing No. 42 in honor of the man who broke baseball's color barrier. Reflecting on the legacy of Robinson and those who followed him, it's appropriate to look back at the Washington's history of civil rights and baseball as examples of how far sport and society have come, and to see how far we still have to go. Washington was...

There's been lots of chatter in the last few days and weeks about the status of Orioles manager Buck Showalter. As everyone knows, Showalter is in the final year of his contract. He, executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette and a number of prominent players are all facing a walk year. But the Las Vegas sportsbook Bovada last week released its latest odds on the first major league manager to be fired, and Showalter topped the list at 3/2. He's leaped ahead of the likes of...

NEW YORK - It is the middle of April and the two-time defending N.L. East champion Washington Nationals find themselves six games behind the first place New York Mets. There are 146 regular season games remaining. The Nats have yet to play a regular season game with Daniel Murphy in the lineup. Adam Eaton has been sidelined with a bone bruise on his left ankle. Anthony Rendon has missed the last two games after fouling a ball off his left big toe. Hitters Ryan Zimmerman and Michael A. Taylor...