I think Bryce Harper likes batting leadoff. In his first game of the season batting from the leadoff spot in the order on Tuesday night, Harper hit a three run shot in his third at-bat. Wednesday night, he hit a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first against Pirates starter Ivan Nova. Matt Adams, who hit two homers Tuesday, dropped in an opposite field homer over the left field wall. The Pirates got on the board in the first thanks to a pair of one-out singles by Gregory Polanco and Starling...

Danny Valencia is back in the lineup at third base as the Orioles continue their series in Anaheim. Valencia was day-to-day with tightness in his hamstring, which caused him to be scratched from Sunday's lineup. Mark Trumbo is the designated hitter against left-hander Andrew Heaney. Craig Gentry is in right field instead of Anthony Santander. Chris Davis continues to bat seventh. Engelb Vielma is starting at second base instead of Jace Peterson. The Orioles rotation has registered 12 quality...

Daniel Murphy today confirmed what was pretty obvious to anyone who watched him work out at Nationals Park yesterday afternoon: His surgically repaired right knee is still in pain when he tries to run, which has left his potential return from the disabled list up in the air. "I'm not in a position where I can run right now to play," the veteran second baseman said in his first session with reporters since he returned from extended spring training earlier this week. Murphy, who had...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Orioles have lost seven consecutive road games and will try to break that streak tonight in the second game of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels. The Orioles were held to one hit and no runs last night through eight innings. Then they tied the game 2-2, scoring twice in the top of the ninth. But they lost 3-2 in walk-off fashion in the last of the ninth on Justin Upton's bases-loaded single off right-hander Brad Brach. The Orioles have won two in a row...

It looks like third baseman Anthony Rendon is very close to returning to the active roster. Rendon has gone through full batting practice each of the last two pregames for the Nationals. He has been on the 10-day disabled list with a left toe contusion since April 19. Rendon will start a rehab assignment for high Single-A Potomac as they take on Wilmington Thursday and Salem Friday in Woodbridge, Va. "He's going out tomorrow," said manager Davey Martinez. "He'll play one or two games. He...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - In the Orioles' latest loss - one where the offense came up short again and the defense made a key miscue - starting pitcher Alex Cobb was a bright spot. Signed by the club to a four-year deal worth $57 million on March 21, Cobb had begun his O's career going 0-3 with an ERA of 13.11 and with batters hitting .484 off him. This was very unlike the pitcher who was so solid over many years for Tampa Bay. His late signing, which led to an expedited spring training, hindered his...

We might be becoming numb to it at this point, but it's good to be reminded every once in a while: Max Scherzer is great. And he's showing no signs of letting up. The 2016 and 2017 National League Cy Young Award winner is already starting to make his case for consideration this season, with a dominant April that today earned him NL Pitcher of the Month honors. Scherzer, who carried a shutout into the seventh inning last night before surrendering a two-run homer during what ended up being a...

After watching the team explode for 12 runs with Bryce Harper in the leadoff spot last night, Davey Martinez said he would probably "let it ride" for at least another day. Well, the Nationals manager is a man of his word, because tonight's lineup looks very similar. Harper indeed is back in the leadoff spot, with Trea Turner and Matt Adams behind him. Ryan Zimmerman is getting the night off, so Howie Kendrick bumps up to the cleanup position, with Andrew Stevenson in left field while Adams...

Following a month in which he went 5-1 with a 1.62 ERA (7 ER/39.0 IP) and 57 strikeouts against just nine walks, Nationals right-handed pitcher Max Scherzer was named the National League Pitcher of the Month on Wednesday. Major League Baseball made the announcement on MLB Network. Scherzer, 33, led the National League in strikeouts (57) and wins (5). He also ranked in the top five in the National League in strikeouts per 9.0 IP (2nd, 13.15), ERA (4th, 1.62), WHIP (4th, .082), opp. AVG (T4th,...

The Orioles announced after last night's game that rookie catcher Chance Sisco was day-to-day following a collision with Pedro Álvarez's forearm, the equivalent of running face-first into an oak tree. Sisco sustained a "facial contusion," according to the club, but wasn't showing symptoms of a concussion. He just looked that way while lying flat on his back after a failed pursuit of a pop up in foul territory. It doesn't appear that the Orioles are going to summon another catcher to...