NEW YORK - The Orioles have swapped out their healthy reserve today, with Pedro Alvarez replacing Julio Borbon. Borbon is starting in center field while Adam Jones is bothered by back spasms. Jones left last night's game in the bottom of the eighth inning, but he felt better afterward and planned on playing today. Things can change quickly around here. Joey Rickard injured his right thumb last night and won't start against Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia. Ryan Flaherty, who replaced Chris...

First baseman Ryan Zimmerman will begin his rehab assignment tonight at high Single-A Potomac to test his left rib cage strain. Nationals manager Dusty Baker is hopeful Zimmerman can return to the team early next week. "I'd like him to get three games in probably," Baker said. "Then join us here and travel with us to Cleveland and then be eligible to play on Tuesday." * Baker scratched Jayson Werth from today's original lineup for a day of rest and not any type of injury. "Yeah,...

NEW YORK - Adam Jones is out of the Orioles lineup today after leaving last night's game with a back spasm. However, Chris Davis and Manny Machado have returned. Julio Borbon has replaced Jones in center field. Nolan Reimold is leading off. Ryan Flaherty is in right field. Matt Wieters said his right foot is better, but he's still day to day. Orioles manager Buck Showalter arrived at Yankee Stadium this morning, but it's not known whether he'll be in the dugout for the game. For the...

There's a thin line between rumors and speculation. This is the time of year when everybody is trying to predict who will get moved where and for how much. The latest bit of speculation about the Nationals would be game-changing. While Reynaldo Lopez didn't get great results in his debut, his strikeout ability and velocity were on display and there were flashes of the promise. Trea Turner flashed his speed and stole home last night. Lucas Giolito had a good but abridged first outing with the...

For the first time since June 4, the Baltimore Orioles find themselves out of first place in the American League East. Looking up in the standings is something this club hasn't been used to this year. In 2016, the O's have spent 91 days atop their division and saw their lead reach a season-high 5 1/2 games on June 29, but after the Birds got shut out in the Bronx last night, the Red Sox took a half-game lead in the East when they defeated the Giants 11-7. The second half hasn't been kind to...

Well, look on the bright side: Yovani Gallardo went seven innings for the first time in over a calender year. That actually could be a positive and we'll get to that in a moment. But first, the offense. It's been offensive. It's been real bad. Here are the latest numbers: The Orioles have scored just two runs in the first three games of this four-game series, losing all three games against the Yankees. They have not scored in the last 12 innings. They have scored six runs the last five games...

Two innings into his start last night, Gio Gonzalez had an all-too-familiar look to himself. He was having trouble putting hitters away, resulting in a hefty pitch count of 43. He had already walked two batters. And though he had surrendered just one run to the Dodgers, he seemed to be teetering on the brink of far more serious damage. What transpired after that - four more scoreless innings on just 54 pitches - offered the best evidence in a long time that Gonzalez can right what has turned...

The Nationals score many of their runs via the home run. They lead the National League with 132 of them, and are on pace for 225 by season's end, which would destroy the club's previous record of 194 in 2014. So the fact they hit four homers tonight during an 8-1 thumping of the Dodgers should not come as much of a surprise. This is what they do. But here's what they're also trying to do on a more regular basis: Score runs not with power, but with speed. Just like they did during a...

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg just wants to go out and pitch. But if the San Diego State phenom can pull off the win Thursday afternoon against the L.A. Dodgers, he will have given his team a series win and continued the best start in his career at 14-0. With a victory today, he would also tie Roger Clemens (1986) for the fifth-best start in Major League Baseball history. After Wednesday's 8-1 win, the Nationals now have an 18-17 edge all-time over the Dodgers in D.C. Los Angeles counters...

NEW YORK - With a win this afternoon, the Yankees would complete their first four-game sweep of the Orioles since September 2005 in the Bronx. They'd also be risking the stomach flu, but they seem willing to live dangerously. In case you're a masochist and want another reminder, the Orioles are 3-for-33 with runners in scoring position since the All-Star break. Can't buy a hit. Broke from spending it all on Pepto. First place was fun while it lasted - since June 5 - and the Orioles will try...