Max Scherzer didn't look much like himself in the first inning tonight against the Phillies. Whether it has anything to do with the fact he took a comebacker off his left calf the last time he pitches remains to be learned. Whatever the case, Scherzer battled through an uncharacteristically ragged top of the first. He issued three walks in the inning, one of them on four pitches, and also served up a three-run homer to Nick Williams that gave Philadelphia an early 3-0 lead. The Nationals have...

CLEVELAND - Catcher Welington Castillo has been scratched from the Orioles lineup and replaced by Caleb Joseph, who's batting ninth behind right fielder Seth Smith. Castillo had been eighth. The Orioles will provide an explanation later. Manager Buck Showalter wanted to speak with J.J. Hardy earlier today, but he had to wait until the veteran shortstop was done conferring with Tim Beckham. Hardy continues to make himself available to the player who's seized his job, which is a typical gesture...

BOWIE, Md. - The Double-A Bowie Baysox don't face a must-win situation tonight, but it's pretty close. They need to beat Altoona at Prince George's Stadium or they fall behind two games to none in a best-of-five series. And after this game, the rest of the series will be played at Altoona. Bowie was held to one-hit last night - a Cedric Mullins single in the fourth - in a 2-0 Game 1 loss. Altoona starter Mitch Keller issued two walks and had four strikeouts in a 90-pitch complete-game...

Adrián Sanchez last appeared on the field at Nationals Park on Aug. 26, an appearance notable for two reasons. No. 1: He delivered a key RBI single off Mets closer Jeurys Familia in the bottom of the eighth, eliciting a standing ovation from the home crowd. No. 2: A few minutes later, he was removed from the game because he was still feeling the effects of getting hit by a pitch square on the chest, a frightening moment that preceded the RBI single and gave the fans reason to offer that...

CLEVELAND - J.J. Hardy rounded a corner in the visiting clubhouse this afternoon and stared at the lineup card posted on a wall near his locker. Hardy pretty much knew that he wouldn't be starting on his first day off the disabled list, but at least he found his name within the batch of reserves. It beats the disabled list. The Orioles activated Hardy earlier today and he's in uniform for the first time since June 18, as the Orioles open a three-game series against the Indians at Progressive...

CLEVELAND - Tim Beckham remains the starting shortstop tonight for the Orioles in their series opener against the Indians. J.J. Hardy is off the disabled list and on the bench. Mark Trumbo is the designated hitter and Seth Smith is in right field. Welington Castillo is catching. For the Orioles Tim Beckham SS Manny Machado 3B Jonathan Schoop 2B Adam Jones CF Trey Mancini LF Chris Davis 1B Mark Trumbo DH Welington Castillo C Seth Smith RF Wade Miley LHP For the Indians Francisco Lindor SS Austin...

CLEVELAND - The Orioles reinstated shortstop J.J. Hardy from the 60-day disabled list today and designated left-hander Andrew Faulkner for assignment. Hardy hasn't played for the Orioles since being hit by a Lance Lynn pitch on June 18 at Camden Yards and sustaining a fractured bone in his right wrist. He's batting .211/.248/.308 with 11 doubles, three home runs and 21 RBIs in 64 games. Manager Buck Showalter may choose to use Hardy as a late-inning defensive replacement for Tim Beckham, who...

The Orioles begin their next-to-last road trip of the year tonight and it will certainly be a very challenging one. It starts with three games at Cleveland against the Indians, who have won 15 in a row. Then they play three in Toronto and four games at Yankee Stadium. The Orioles begin the trip at 71-69 with 22 games to play. They are two games behind Minnesota for the second wild card with the Twins leading the Angels by one game. The Orioles are 27-39 on the road. Cleveland (84-56) just...

When last we saw Max Scherzer on the mound, he was hobbling around Miller Park, capable of pitching but not running after he took a comebacker off his left calf. That was six days ago, and tonight Scherzer will be back on the mound, insisting he's fine after getting treatment and throwing twice during the week in Miami with no issues. Scherzer returns for what could turn out to be a huge weekend for the Nationals. Their four-game winning streak, combined with the Marlins' five-game losing...

The Single-A Frederick Keys are now one win away from a Carolina League championship. Well, a co-championship any way. The league office announced today the cancellation of the Carolina League Mills Cup championship series with a hurricane on the way. One of the four competing teams, Myrtle Beach, plays in a city that could be evacuated and sometimes real life matters top even baseball. It was a sensible decision. So the league decided that the two winners of the semi-finals series will be...