The nature of the Nationals' schedule so far in 2017 - and the overall state of both the National League East Division and the National League as a whole - has left this team in an unusual position: They haven't played very many games the average observer would consider to have been "big." The 10 head-to-head contests with the Mets to date may have drawn some extra attention, but at the time they've played the Nats have led their expected division rivals by a minimum of 3 1/2 games and a...

For the first time since the Orioles took two of three at Cincinnati April 18-20, they have won a road series. By taking the last two games at Tropicana Field, the Orioles win a series away from Camden Yards. Now can they get two in a row? The Orioles scored 16 runs and hit six homers the last two days in back-to-back wins over Tampa Bay. Even after going through a stretch in which they went 13-27 over 40 games, the Orioles find themselves just four games out of first place this morning. New...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter offered a blunt assessment over the weekend of his club's streak of allowing at least five runs in 20 consecutive games. "It's an indication that we haven't pitched well, starting-wise," he said, the media crowding him in the visiting dugout at Tropicana Field. "Is that a revelation?" Probably not. Is it an indictment of the new pitching coach? Absolutely not, according to Showalter and his pitchers. Plenty of fans are pointing a...

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...