Manager: Joe Maddon (3rd season)Record: 38-37 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 3B Kris Bryant (.263 with 16 HR, 31 RBIs); 1B Anthony Rizzo (.261 with 17 HR, 48 RBIs); SS Addison Russell (.232 with 53 hits); RHP Jake Arrieta (7-5, 4.36 ERA); LHP Jon Lester (5-4, 3.83 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 1st meeting (5-2 in 2016) Pitching probables: Monday, June 26: RHP Eddie Butler vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m., MASNTuesday, June 27: RHP Jake Arrieta vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 7:05 p.m.,...

This is what it has come to for Tanner Roark, who at this stage of a frustrating season has to try to find the positives, even in a start in which he gave up five runs in the top of the first and dug his team into an insurmountable hole. "I'll build off this one and keep chugging along," the right-hander said. For Roark, this was better than previous outings. That five-run first, awful results notwithstanding, featured a flurry of well-placed, soft-contact ground balls that eluded Nationals...

The 5-0 deficit in the first inning was a difficult predicament for the Nationals, but they faced a similar situation Friday night and found a way to make another comeback. This time, the Nats ultimately got as close as 6-2 against the Reds, but were never able to put together the big rally needed to come back from the early hole, as they have 19 times this season. Michael A. Taylor hit a two-run shot in the fourth to get the Nats on the board. But that turned out to be the only offense they...

They already had won the first two games of this weekend's series - one via dramatic comeback, one via complete blowout - so the Nationals essentially were playing the bonus round against the Reds this afternoon. Then Tanner Roark got shelled in the top of the first, and today's game became less about trying to get extra credit and more about just trying to survive and keep everybody in one piece before the Cubs get to town Monday. Roark was roughed up for the third straight time he's taken...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The lineup may not have been the most conventional, with manager Buck Showalter choosing right-handed hitters Joey Rickard and Craig Gentry to handle the outfield corners against a right-hander. He started Paul Janish at shortstop for the second consecutive day and put Caleb Joseph behind the plate despite a turnaround that didn't really qualify as quick. Fans on social media mocked the lineup, particularly the bottom third of Joseph, Gentry and Janish. Some of them went...

Getting ready to leave on a trip with the Orioles and realizing I had finished the book I had with me, I asked Buck Showalter if I could borrow one from his office. I picked up the "The Baltimore Elite Giants" by Bob Luke from his office side table and he said, "You'll like it." Right again. The book covers the team from beginning to integration. The trip is one rocky road, filled with financial, development, marketing and racial problems from beginning to end. More importantly, it is the...

The first inning was a nightmare for Nats starter Tanner Roark. The Reds scored five runs on five hits to jump out early in Sunday's finale. Billy Hamilton doubled, Scooter Gennett singled and Joey Votto singled. Gennett's hit was a RBI knock. A Bryce Harper throwing error allowed Gennett to come home. Roark walked Adam Duvall. A pair of fielder's choices plated Votto. The big hit was a two-run double from Tucker Barnhart. The Nats looked like they would get back in the game quickly in the...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles closer Zach Britton remains scheduled to come off the disabled list on July 5 as he moves smoothly through his injury rehab assignment. Britton tossed another scoreless inning last night at Single-A Delmarva, walking a batter and throwing 11 pitches. He's allowed one hit in three scoreless innings on his assignment, the first at short-season Single-A Aberdeen. Britton will pitch Monday and Thursday at Double-A Bowie and join Single-A Frederick for Friday's game,...

Some pregame news and notes before the Nationals and Reds wrap up their series ... * It got lost in the shuffle of Friday night's extra-inning comeback win, but Daniel Murphy reached a nice career milestone: his 100th home run. That number may not carry a whole lot of weight in today's game, but what's most impressive in Murphy's case is that nearly half of those homers have come in the last two calendar years. Yes, Murphy has hit 48 home runs since July 2015, a span of 1,163 plate...

After a 15-5 loss to the Rays on Friday followed by an 8-3 win on Saturday afternoon, the Orioles and Tampa Bay play the third and deciding game of their series this afternoon. The Orioles are 36-38 overall, 12-24 on the road, 3-2 against Tampa Bay and 22-17 versus the American League East. Saturday's win was just the second road victory in the last 15 games for the Orioles. A victory today would give the Orioles their first road series win since April 18-20 at Cincinnati. Tampa Bay is 40-37...