SARASOTA, Fla. - Manny Machado chose today to hit his first home run of the spring and he decided to clear the bases with it. Go big or go home. Machado's grand slam to left field off Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty with no outs in the bottom of the third inning gave the Orioles a 4-0 lead and sent a jolt through the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium. Caleb Joseph reached on an infield hit, Colby Rasmus walked, Jonathan Schoop singled and Machado sent a screaming liner into the seats. Flaherty...

JUPITER, Fla. - Originally scheduled to play back-to-back days for the first time this spring, Bryce Harper wound up not being able to play today's game at all. Harper was scratched from the lineup with an ingrown toenail, a seemingly insignificant ailment but one that has been a problem for the star outfielder before. Harper had to miss two games in May 2013 after suffering from an ingrown toenail that was so bad it had to be surgically removed. No word yet how much time the 25-year-old...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Mike Wright Jr. retired six of the seven batters he faced today, a harmless single the only smudge on his line. Tommy Pham bounced a single up the middle with one out in the first inning, but Wright retired Paul DeJong on a fly ball to right field and Jose Martinez on a bouncer to second baseman Jonathan Schoop, who ranged past the bag and threw across his body. Mark Trumbo, switched from designated hitter to first base, played the hop to record the final out. Carson Kelly...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The daily Circle of Trust meeting began just any other. As players gathered around the Nationals logo at the center of their athletic turf field outside FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, bench coach Chip Hale went over the good and the bad from yesterday's exhibition game, then detailed the plan for this morning's workout. And then things got a little weird. A recording was played of third base coach Bob Henley, frequently the most boisterous speaker at these...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have made another lineup change today, with Chris Davis switching from first base to the designated hitter role. Mark Trumbo will play first base. The order remains the same, with Davis batting fifth and Trumbo seventh. No reason given for the change, but manager Buck Showalter hinted at the possibility during batting practice. Left-hander Chris Lee's attempt to break camp with the team lasted two pitches. Lee exited yesterday's game against the Rays with an...

SARASOTA, Fla. - An MRI administered this morning confirmed that Orioles left-hander Chris Lee sustained an injury to his right oblique muscle and he's expected to be sidelined at least four weeks. Lee wasn't expected to break camp with the team, but the injury totally eliminates the possibility. The MRI on Austin Hays was more favorable. Hays has some inflammation behind his right shoulder, but he could be available to hit. The Orioles will prevent him from throwing for about three days,...

JUPITER, Fla. - Well, it's been quite a morning already in Nationals camp. The day began with a surprise twist to the club's morning "Circle of Trust" meeting: Coaches Bob Henley and Tim Bogar rode in on camels, yelling out "Hump Day!" and eventually making all the players walk through the tunnel they created to symbolize how the Nationals are trying to get over the proverbial hump this season. This was all concocted by manager Davey Martinez, and I'll have plenty more on all this a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles reliever Darren O'Day will make his spring debut in today's 1:05 p.m. game against the Cardinals at Ed Smith Stadium. Pedro Álvarez is listed among a group of reserves that also includes outfielder Jaycob Brugman, catcher Andrew Susac and infielder Éngelb Vielma. Outfielder Austin Hays is counted, too, though he was scheduled to receive an MRI today on his right shoulder/lat. Colby Rasmus is leading off and playing right field. Tim Beckham is batting...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - With Ryan Zimmerman being held back until the calendar at least reads March, Matt Adams was in position to get a bunch of playing time at first base early this spring. The offseason addition, though, was scratched from yesterday's lineup and is expected to miss a couple more days with a blister that developed on his right foot. Adams reported the issue yesterday morning and showed the blister to manager Davey Martinez. He was immediately scratched from the lineup and...

SARASOTA, Fla. - So much gets lost over the course of a game, especially when a top pitching prospect has overcome a series of injuries to make his first career Grapefruit League start and another promising hurler walks off the field after one batter with an oblique injury. Hunter Harvey and Chris Lee overshadowed right-hander Pedro Araujo yesterday, for good and bad reasons. No one is celebrating Lee's latest physical ailment, which requires an MRI this morning and likely will sideline him...