It is a question worth asking even though we pretty much know the direction the organization will take: Should the Orioles be rebuilding now after posting a losing record in 2017, and with several veterans not signed beyond 2018? The Orioles seem much more inclined to be reloading than rebuilding. They are still looking to add to their roster and improve their pitching to make another run for the playoffs in 2018. But we all know that free agency awaits for four key players after the 2018...

The National League Division Series Game 2 scoring began with Anthony Rendon crushing a 1-1 offering from Jon Lester just inside the right field foul pole in the bottom of the first to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead. It was the first run and first lead in the series for the Nats. Willson Contreras countered with a solo homer off of Gio Gonzalez over the left field wall to begin the second inning. We're tied 1-1 heading to the bottom of the second. Update: In the fourth, Kris Bryant doubled and...

It's a new game on a new day. After the Nationals dropped Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Friday night, they will look to get even with the Cubs this afternoon on South Capitol Street. While technically not a must-win game, the Nats really can't afford to go to Chicago down 2-0. And so a lot of pressure falls on Gio Gonzalez, who takes the mound today for Game 2. Gonzalez had one of his best seasons with the Nationals this year, going 15-9 with a 2.96 ERA. Though there may be...

Bryce Harper's left leg is healthy, at least as healthy as it's going to be before he has an entire winter of rest. Everything the star right fielder has done during his six games back from the disabled list suggests he's not physically limited and can play the way he normally plays. But is Harper actually performing the way he normally performs? That question has been tougher to answer. "I think it could get better," the 24-year-old said today as he prepared for Game 2 of the National...

Losing the first game of a five-game National League Division Series on their home field puts the Nationals in a very difficult position. But it is not insurmountable. In 2016, the Nats fell in their first game of the series at home to the Dodgers in the NLDS. They went on to win the next two games to go up two games to one. Obviously, the Dodgers came back to win the next two games. But the Nats have shown a resiliency in the past to come back. This season the Nats recorded 41 come-from-behind...

The Nationals will go with the same lineup - save for starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez - as they employed Friday night this afternoon when they try to square the best-of-five National League Division Series against the Cubs at a game apiece. Today's key matchup: Nats speedster Trea Turner against Cubs left-hander Jon Lester. Lester is notorious for his inability to throw to first base, which gives teams with base-stealing threats an advantage. Turner stole two bases against Lester on June 29 at...

While waiting to find out which playoff games are airing on Animal Planet and Cartoon Network ... We can spend the bulk of the winter talking about the Orioles rotation and how they can find upgrades without breaking the bank or trading away every prospect in the farm system. Spoiler alert: There are no easy answers. They really could use a proven ace who doesn't come with disclaimers such as, "Needs to take the next step." But can anyone reasonably expect them to get into a bidding war for...

There was the play down the third base line Anthony Rendon couldn't make, resulting in his first error in 76 days. There was Bryce Harper's ill-advised, too-high throw that allowed a runner to take second base and ultimately score minutes later. There were pitches called strikes that didn't jibe well with batters. And there was the debatable decision not to bring in a left-hander to face Anthony Rizzo in a key, two-out spot with first base open. The Nationals had to confront all of that...

Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg came out early and set the tone for Game 1 of the National League Division Series. In the first five innings, the Cubs mustered zero runs on no hits. They had one baserunner - a walk to Addison Russell in the second - to show for 16 at-bats. Strasburg racked up eight strikeouts to set a new franchise postseason single-game record. He finished with 10 strikeouts. But Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks matched Strasburg, surrendering just two early base hits but...

Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg looked unhittable for five innings Friday night. Then the Chicago Cubs came to bat in the sixth inning. That's when everything changed. The Cubs scored twice against the Nationals starter, who had a 0.86 ERA after the All-Star break as well as a streak of 35 consecutive scoreless innings, on their way to a 3-0 win against the Nationals in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at Nationals Park. The Cubs' Javier Báez reached on a high chopper that...