For all the star power and success within their everyday lineup and starting rotation, the Nationals know they would not have won 97 games and run away with a division title last season if not for the performance of their bench. When injuries knocked Bryce Harper, Adam Eaton, Jayson Werth, Trea Turner and Michael A. Taylor out for a minimum of five weeks apiece, how did the Nationals manage not only to stay afloat but continue to thrive? Thanks to the fill-in work of Adam Lind, Howie Kendrick,...

Mid-season free agent pickups usually build their brand with a good team, then turn that into a huge payoff with another team the next year. It has happened to the Nationals over the years. It happens to almost every team that surges for a playoff spot in hopes that late free agent acquisition will make the difference between almost reaching the playoffs to definitely playing October baseball. But this offseason has been different for the Nats. Reliever Brandon Kintzler and infielder/outfielder...

It is not a secret that the Orioles need to get more innings out of their starting rotation than they have in recent years. Not only has their starting rotation ranked near the bottom of the league in ERA, but also in combined innings pitched. But this has happened to the Orioles at a time when the entire American League has seen starters pitching fewer innings. The trend of teams pulling starters earlier and getting to their bullpens sooner was big in the 2017 postseason, when starting...

Exactly how many holes exist in the Orioles' 25-man roster as they get closer to their report date for spring training? The calculation involves math, but I'm willing to move outside my comfort zone. The Orioles have two confirmed starters in Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy. The bullpen should include Brad Brach, Darren O'Day, Mychal Givens and Richard Bleier. Miguel Castro will be in the rotation or continue in his relief role. Trey Mancini and Adam Jones will compose two-thirds of the...

Turns out the Nationals' midseason acquisitions last summer weren't rental players after all. One month ago, they were able to re-sign reliever Brandon Kintzler. And now they're bringing back veteran utilityman Howie Kendrick. Kendrick and the Nationals have agreed to a two-year, $7 million contract, a source familiar with the deal confirmed, ensuring the club has a valuable bench piece - not to mention a backup plan at both second base and in the outfield - returning for 2018 and 2019....

The Astros pulled off one of the biggest trades of the winter this weekend, finally snagging Gerrit Cole from the Pirates in exchange for four young players. The initial reaction from most: Houston didn't give up a whole lot. Joe Musgrove, Colin Moran and Michael Feliz have all spent time in the big leagues in the last two seasons, but none is considered a top-tier prospect. And the fourth player, Jason Martin, is a Double-A outfielder who was left unprotected from the Rule 5 draft and wasn't...

Confirming the various reports on trade talks with the Diamondbacks, the Orioles have discussed Brandon Drury as part of the return for third baseman Manny Machado. Just one of the many names tossed around since they arrived at the Winter Meetings. If you're alphabetizing them, Drury is high up on the list. The Diamondbacks seem to be the most aggressive team among the Machado suitors after doubling back, but I've got no reason to believe that the sides are close to a deal. The Orioles...

Over 10 seasons as an Oriole, center fielder Adam Jones has played in the All-Star Game five times, won four Gold Glove Awards, finished in the top 14 in the MVP vote three times and added a Silver Slugger Award, too. It has been an impressive 10-year stretch, one that began with the Orioles mired in a long run of losing. But starting in 2012, the Orioles began a five-year stretch where they posted the best record in the American League. Said simply, Jones has been a key player and a team...

MLB Network trotted out the first two episodes of its annual "Top 10 Right Now!" series last night, revealing its picks for the best shortstops and third basemen in baseball entering the 2018 season. And it shouldn't surprise you that the Nationals starter at each position wound up high on each list. Trea Turner rated as the fourth-best shortstop in the game, according to the all-encompassing computer formula known as "The Shredder" used for these shows. Only the Astros' Carlos Correra,...

The three-day minicamp in Sarasota provided a few more chances to talk about closer Zach Britton's Achilles surgery and how it impacts the bullpen and its occupants. Get used to it. It's going to continue through spring training and for as long as Britton is rehabbing "I think that we did a good job," said left-hander Richard Bleier. "Brad (Brach) filled in really nicely for Zach and it didn't seem like we missed a beat there. When Darren (O'Day) went down, (Mychal) Givens slid in and...