ANAHEIM, Calif. - It's part of any manager's job, trying to compensate for injuries, but the challenge for Dusty Baker over the last several weeks has been amplified. Baker already lost leadoff man Adam Eaton to a torn ACL at the end of April. Then he lost No. 2 hitter Jayson Werth to a significant bone bruise and slight fracture of his left foot in early June. Then he lost another top-of-the-order bat, Trea Turner, to a fractured wrist at the end of June. In the wake of all that, Baker has...

I couldn't tell whether Orioles center fielder Adam Jones was kidding or serious, but this is what he said when a reporter pointed out that his three hits last night all went to the opposite field. "I was late (on the swing). I was late, trying to pull it. I was late, just trying to hit the ball hard anywhere it goes. I don't care, line-to-line," he said. Just being honest, I guess. Hey, all hits count and Jones went 3-for-5 in the Orioles' 10-2 win over the Rangers. He is 5-for-9 in the...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Alex Meyer's name doesn't garner much reaction from most current members of the Nationals or most members of a fan base that barely remembers the club using a first-round pick on the big right-hander way back in 2011. The handful of players who spent time with Meyer in the low minor leagues for one season, though, have fond memories of him. And the 6-foot-9 hurler, whose career hasn't panned out quite as he once hoped, still has kind words to say about the franchise that...

The Orioles are doing a lousy impression of a team that's focused on the future. Players hear and read the rumors. They're aware of the vulnerability of their top relievers. They, too, wonder how they can remain competitive if the bullpen, the team's undisputed strength, is torn down at the back end. One player told me yesterday that he'd be surprised if Zach Britton or Brad Brach isn't traded. Not necessarily both, but one of them. Britton and Brach sat next to each other yesterday before...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Alex Meyer's career hasn't panned out as originally hoped, but the Nationals drafted the big right-hander in the first round back in 2011 for a reason. And Meyer is showing exactly why tonight - against his former club. Meyer, now pitching for the Angels, has retired the first 12 batters he's faced, baffling one of the most potent lineups in baseball through four perfect innings so far. The Nationals have hit a few balls hard, and Daniel Murphy was robbed of a potential...

Orioles outfielder Adam Jones went 3-for-5 with two RBIs tonight as the Orioles won their third in a row, beating Texas 10-2. Despite these wins, the Orioles (45-49) would need four more consecutive wins just to get back to .500. But Jones made his feelings clear when asked tonight what three straight wins does for the Orioles. "Shuts up all the trade rumors, I know that," Jones said. "We feel that we're still in this race. Long way to go. We're not just going to give up. No, I don't take...

So this series has been very different. The Orioles pitching staff got bounced around over the weekend by the Chicago Cubs, but they have turned the tables against Texas. For the second night in a row, the offense joined in the act. Right-hander Kevin Gausman produced the third straight quality start for the Orioles tonight as they beat Texas 10-2 at Oriole Park. They have taken the first three in this four-game series and broke this game open late with a seven-run seventh inning. Gausman's...

If this is how the Orioles are going to respond to trade rumors and the notion that they're sellers, the front office should plant the idea a few days after they break camp. Kevin Gausman turned in the rotation's third consecutive quality start and the Orioles batted around in the seventh inning and assured themselves of a series win with a 10-2 victory over the Rangers before an announced sweaty crowd of 15,693 at Camden Yards. The Orioles are 45-49 overall and 28-19 at home. They've...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Joe Ross had Tommy John surgery this morning, a procedure that the Nationals said went smoothly but nonetheless will sideline the right-hander until at least the middle of the 2018 season. Ross had the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow replaced in Dallas by orthopedist Keith Meister, who reported it "went well," according to manager Dusty Baker. The typical timeline for pitchers returning from the surgery is 12 to 18 months, giving Ross a chance to contribute for...

The Orioles have taken the first two games of their four-game series against Texas by scores of 3-1 and 12-1. They host the Rangers the next two nights to conclude this series. In three weekend games versus the Cubs, the O's pitching staff allowed 27 runs on 41 hits. In the last two games against Texas, they have allowed two runs on nine hits. With Chris Tillman and Dylan Bundy, they recorded two straight quality starts for the first time since June 1-2. Right-hander Kevin Gausman (5-7, 6.39...