MIAMI - The dog days of August have arrived, and anyone who questions whether that's a real thing needs only to have watched the Nationals slog their way through their last two games at Marlins Park. Things had been going swimmingly through the first 10 1/2 innings of this series, with Gio Gonzalez nearly throwing a one-hitter Monday night and Max Scherzer homering during a six-run explosion early Tuesday night. But from the moment Scherzer departed with what turned out to be neck spasms, the...

Manager: Brad Ausmus (4th season) Record: 49-57 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: LF Justin Upton (.279 with 18 HR, 69 RBIs); 1B Miguel Cabrera (.257 with 13 HR, 50 RBIs); 3B Nicholas Castellanos (57 RBIs, 98 hits); RHP Michael Fulmer (10-9, 3.59 ERA); RHP Justin Verlander (4.29 ERA, 126 Ks) Season series vs. Orioles: 2-1 Pitching probables: Aug. 3: LHP Matthew Boyd vs. RHP Chris Tillman, 7:05 p.m., MASNAug. 4: RHP Justin Verlander vs. RHP Kevin Gausman, 7:05 p.m., MASNAug. 5: RHP Michael Fulmer...

MIAMI - Max Scherzer remained upbeat this afternoon, believing his neck injury isn't serious and can be fixed with a simple adjustment that could allow him to make his next start for the Nationals on schedule. Scherzer said he believes he has a pinched nerve in his neck, one that forced him out of Tuesday night's start after only one inning. The remedy: He plans to see a chiropractor sometime in the next 24 hours. It's too soon to know if Scherzer will be able to make his next start...

Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson tonight joins an Orioles rotation that has pitched to an ERA of 0.94 the last four games and 3.18 the past eight. He will make his Orioles debut as the O's look to complete a three-game sweep of the Royals. At 52-54 and with four wins in a row and 10 wins the past 15 games, the Orioles could move to within 2 ½ games of the Royals with a win. The Royals (55-50) currently hold the second American League wild card spot, leading that by 1 ½ games over the...

The rain has stopped at Camden Yards, the sun is shining and the grounds crew prepared the field for tonight's game. You'd never know that it was pouring rain less than an hour ago. The Orioles are in a stretch of facing four left-handed starters in the span of five games, with the Rangers' Martin Perez closing out the weekend series in Arlington, the Royals sending Danny Duffy and Jason Vargas to the mound at Camden Yards and the Tigers opening their series Thursday night with Matthew...

MIAMI - Brandon Kintzler had been through trade deadline day before, last July 31, and he was admittedly a nervous wreck waiting to find out if the Twins had dealt him. So when this July 31 came around and he knew the team had a day off in San Diego, he decided to get away and go on a safari zoo tour with his wife. So there was Kintzler, feeding apples to a rhinoceros at 1:01 p.m. Pacific time, when his phone rang. He looked down and recognized it was a Minnesota area code. "So I figured this...

Not much to report this afternoon from Camden Yards as the Orioles took batting practice beneath a threatening sky. A light rain began to fall and the tarp was unrolled at 5:03 p.m. as players headed indoors. Ryan Flaherty started at second base today at Single-A Frederick and went 2-for-4. Reports say he threw much better. Flaherty will work out with the Orioles on Thursday and likely head to Triple-A Norfolk. His rehab assignment ends on Aug. 15, but manager Buck Showalter is hoping that...

When the non-waiver trade deadline passed Monday and closer Zach Britton was still an Oriole, his teammates were certainly pleased that he was still among them. But not just because he is one of the best late-inning pitchers in the game. For 27-year-old right-hander Mychal Givens, Britton has been a mentor and a friend. Someone to help him with whatever he might need - on or off the field. "He's helped me deal with my transition (from position player to pitcher)," Givens said. "He had to...

MIAMI - Let's see, on Monday night Gio Gonzalez carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning. Last night, Max Scherzer homered in the top of the second and then departed after one warmup pitch in the bottom of the second with neck spasms. What does A.J. Cole have in store for us tonight? Cole gets the ball for only the second time this season in the big leagues, with the Nationals needing a one-time start in the wake of Sunday's doubleheader. Cole had a 5.66 ERA in 16 starts for Triple-A...

The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher A.J. Cole from Triple-A Syracuse and activated newly-acquired right-hander Brandon Kintzler on Wednesday. Right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde and left-handed pitcher Sammy Solis were optioned to Syracuse. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Cole, 25, joins the Nationals for his second Major League assignment of the season. In his previous call-up, Cole made one start, going 1-0...