Already this start is going better for Max Scherzer than his last outing. Minus his very own three-run homer, of course. Scherzer has allowed only a Derek Dietrich double in the second inning so far. After three innings, he has struck out four hitters. No sign that his neck is bothering him at all. Scherzer had to leave his last start against the Marlins in the second inning after suffering a neck spasm. The Marlins starter this time around, George Mason product Chris O'Grady, got injured...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter is sticking with Joey Rickard in right field for tonight's series opener against the Angels in Anaheim. Seth Smith is in left field. Welington Castillo is catching. Opponents are 3-for-32 against Dylan Bundy with runners in scoring position and two outs. For the Orioles Adam Jones CF Manny Machado 3B Jonathan Schoop 2B Chris Davis 1B Trey Mancini DH Tim Beckham SS Seth Smith LF Welington Castillo C Joey Rickard RF Dylan Bundy RHP For the Angels Cameron Maybin LF...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - With a road record of 20-33 for the season, the Orioles play in Anaheim tonight to begin a three-game series versus the Los Angeles Angels. It is the first stop of a 10-game, three-city road trip. It is an important stretch for the Orioles, who are in fourth place in the AL East (7 ½ games out). They are 2 ½ games back for the second AL wild card spot. At 55-56, the Orioles look to get to .500 for the first time since June 29. They have won two in a row, seven of nine...

Legendary power hitter Don Baylor died Monday of cancer at the age of 68. He played 19 seasons of in the major leagues, earning the 1979 American League Most Valuable Player award and playing on the Twins' 1987 World Series championship club. Baylor played in one All-Star Game and earned three Silver Slugger Awards. He later managed the Rockies and Cubs, winning National League Manager of the Year in 1995. I had the honor of working alongside Baylor on MASN's "Nats Xtra" and found him to be...

Manager Dusty Baker confirmed that right-hander Stephen Strasburg made it through his bullpen session Sunday very well. Strasburg has been on the disabled list with a right elbow nerve impingement retroactive to July 24. He has missed a couple of starts and this week will miss his third turn in a row. Pitching coach Mike Maddux on the Strasburg bullpen session work Sunday: "Good, went real well, threw a good bullpen." Maddux estimated Strasburg threw around 31 pitches during the bullpen...

After a stellar debut with the team, Baltimore Orioles infielder Tim Beckham has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending August 6th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network. Beckham posted a slash line of .583/.600/1.167 with six runs scored, three doubles, a triple, three home runs and six RBI over six games played to earn his first career AL Player of the Week Award. Among AL leaders, Tim finished the period first in batting average, on-base...

Tim Beckham's first six games with the Orioles earned him an award. The curtain call wasn't sufficient. Beckham has been named the American League's Player of the Week after collecting 14 hits in his first 24 at-bats following last Monday's trade that brought him over from the Rays. Beckham posted a .583/.600/1.167 slash line with three doubles, a triple, three home runs, six RBIs and six runs scored to earn his first Player of the Week honor. Among the league leaders, Beckham finished the...

The Nationals return home for an extended stay at Nats Park, with the next nine games scheduled for home and four straight against the Marlins starting tonight. It has rained all day in the D.C. area, but they are hoping it will dissipate enough to get tonight's game in. Right-hander Max Scherzer (12-5, 2.21 ERA) takes on George Mason product left-hander Chris O'Grady (2-1, 5.40 ERA). The Nats are coming off a stirring series victory in Chicago against the defending champion Cubs, highlighted...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The honors continued today for Single-A Delmarva pitcher Alex Wells. He was named the Player of the Month in the South Atlantic League. Wells went 3-0 with an ERA of 0.00, throwing 31 scoreless innings in five July starts. The 20-year-old lefty from Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, allowed just 13 hits with no walks and 26 strikeouts. Both position players and pitchers are considered for this award. A few days ago, the Orioles announced that Wells was named their minor...

It's no secret that the Orioles have a little bit of a roster issue as they head forward. In the coming winter, the O's are bound to lose some key contributors from the roster. Chris Tillman, Ubaldo Jiménez, Jeremy Hellickson, Seth Smith, Ryan Flaherty and Craig Gentry will all be free agents. They could also lose J.J. Hardy, Wade Miley and Welington Castillo, who each have options of some sort. Once the winter of 2018 rolls around, that list expands to include much bigger, even more...