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What's the first weekend of the season without a little controversy?
As if it hadn't been talked about enough, Paul and I discuss Chance Sisco's now infamous bunt in the ninth inning against the Twins on Sunday to start off this week's Orioles episode of the "MASN All Access" podcast.
Was Sisco in the wrong, or did he do the right thing when he bunted during José BerrÃos' one-hit shutout? We'll weigh in with our thoughts and hear from MASN analyst and Orioles Hall of Famer Rick...
HOUSTON - As the Orioles offense looks to break out tonight in Houston, the challenge on this Tuesday is vast. They face right-hander Justin Verlander, who has been brilliant since the Astros acquired him in a deal with Detroit last Aug. 31.
Verlander made his season debut and got the win Thursday at Texas when he allowed four hits over six scoreless in a 4-1 victory. That night Verlander became the 18th pitcher in major league history to make 10 career opening day starts. That lists includes...
HOUSTON - Orioles manager Buck Showalter has had to make several important decisions already, despite the fact that the 2018 season is just four games old.
He had to decide whether to bat Chris Davis first and now he has to weigh when and/or if to make any lineup changes for a slumbering offense.
But he made an interesting decision involving opening day starter Dylan Bundy. Bundy pitched seven scoreless on Thursday in Baltimore in the opening win over Minnesota. His fifth day to pitch would be...
ATLANTA - Right-hander A.J. Cole wants to be just like his buddies. The first four starters for the Nationals were 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA and the offense has provided their pitching staff with a league-leading 29 runs. The Nats pitching staff has allowed only 13 runs and other than the them, the Pirates are the only undefeated teams remaining at 4-0.
Cole's major league debut came here in Atlanta back in 2015. The Nats made a miraculous comeback on April 28, 2015 to win 13-12 but Cole struggled...
ATLANTA - It was only his 36th game in the major leagues, but Nationals catcher Pedro Severino looked like the veteran catching Tanner Roark's first start and win of 2018, and going 2-for-2 at the plate in an 8-1 dispatch of the Braves to open their series at SunTrust Park.
Roark spun seven masterful innings, keeping pace with the Nats' amazing starting pitching to begin the season. Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Roark have combined to pitch 25 1/3 innings and have allowed...
HOUSTON - Unfortunately for the Orioles, a three-game losing streak has truly been a team effort. Has the offense or the starting pitching been worse?
They have both been pretty bad and that is why they've been outscored 19-3 in losing the last three games. The O's offense has produced one run the last two games and three runs on 12 hits the past three. During the same span, O's starting pitchers have allowed 15 runs (14 earned) on 20 hits, with seven homers allowed over 13 innings.
On top...
ATLANTA - Just ask Shawn Kelley about his pitching last season: He knew it wasn't close to what he was capable of delivering.
Kelley struggled through injury and rough outings, stumbling to a career-worst 7.27 ERA. This followed back-to-back seasons of 2.45 and 2.67 ERAs.
The right-hander landed on the disabled list several times last season with a strained lower back, strained right trapezius muscle and, finally, bone chips in his right elbow.
Fast forward to 2018. Kelley watched as the Nats...
ATLANTA - Three players who had yet to appear in a Nationals game in 2018 came up big in an 8-1 series-opening victory over the Braves at SunTrust Park.
Tanner Roark, Pedro Severino and Shawn Kelley made significant contributions, coupled with a mammoth three-run homer by Bryce Harper, lifting the Nats to their fourth straight win to begin the season.
The Nationals are 4-0 for the first time in franchise history.
Roark (1-0) tossed seven innings, allowing only one run. Kelley fired a shutout...
HOUSTON - Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman remains convinced he will be a much better pitcher in 2018 than he was last year. While his results tonight looked too much like 2017, he doesn't feel his season will ultimately go poorly again.
Tonight, Tillman allowed back-to-back doubles to start his night and he gave up four runs over four innings plus one batter as Houston beat the Orioles 6-1 to start the club's seven-game road trip.
Tillman felt like he might be settling in tonight. Down 1-0...
HOUSTON - The Orioles came here looking to jump start their offense. Chris Tillman took the mound looking to reclaim his pre-2017 form. Neither happened however as the Orioles lost the series opener to the defending World Series champion Astros.
Tillman allowed a run two batters into his night and gave up four runs on the evening as Houston beat the Orioles 6-1 at Minute Maid Park. The Orioles fall to 1-3 and they've been outscored 19-3 with just 12 hits in the last three games.
A sellout...