ST. LOUIS - Hello from the Gateway City, where the biggest event in town this weekend isn't the Nationals-Cardinals series but the FIRST Championship, a national robotics competition that has left the downtown area overrun with thousands of teenagers who are infinitely smarter than you or I will ever be. While these kids are creating artificially intelligent robots, we're sitting in a ballpark obsessing over the Nats' inability to score a run. Talk about a blow to the ego... But anyway,...

The Orioles are keeping Nolan Reimold in left field and Joey Rickard in right for tonight's game against the White Sox. It's the right-handed lineup, including Mark Trumbo as the designated hitter. Adam Jones remains in the fifth spot. Mike Wright is 1-1 with a 6.23 ERA in four career outings (three starts) versus the American League Central. He's allowed 12 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings. For the Orioles Joey Rickard RF Manny Machado 3B Chris Davis 1B Mark Trumbo DH Adam Jones CF Matt...

Looking to bolster their pitching depth at the Triple-A level, the Orioles have signed veteran left-hander Wandy Rodriguez to a minor league contract. Rodriguez will report to extended spring training in Sarasota and attempt to work his way back up to the majors. Being left-handed won't hurt his chances. The Orioles are sorely lacking in that department. Rodriguez, 37, is 97-98 with a 4.10 ERA in 11 major league seasons with the Astros, Pirates and Rangers. He made 15 starts among his 17...

Twins closer Kevin Jepsen challenged Bryce Harper and lost. Harper hit a ninth-inning home run to straightaway center field in Nationals Park to tie Sunday's game up and send it to extra innings. In an MLB Network Radio interview on Monday, Nationals manager Dusty Baker was asked about the Twins' decision to pitch to the Nats' 23-year-old slugger with a one-run lead. "The thing about it is you couldn't put the tying run on base when you've got the top of the order coming up behind him...

Manny Machado's grand slam versus the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night was the latest in a strong start that has more people taking notice of the Orioles' young superstar. You could rightfully argue that the two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner who finished fourth in MVP voting last season deserved more attention before now. Regardless, Machado's quickness out of the gate in 2016 is deservedly garnering him national recognition. Just last week two writers - one from ESPN and the other...

Regardless of the last three games, the next 10 games on the schedule have been pointed to as a huge test in this young season. Whether the Nationals arrived 14-7 or 17-4, games at St. Louis, Kansas City and Chicago were marked as difficult because of the caliber of teams and the venues they will have to play in. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman is the longest-tenured Nationals player and he describes this trip as the most daunting of his career. "It's one of the tougher trips I think I've...

The Orioles' win last night over Chicago improved their home record to 8-1. That is the best home record in the major leagues. Kansas City, at 8-3, has the second-best American League home record. The Orioles have pitched well at home this year with an ERA of 2.09 and a .219 batting average against. They have outscored their opponents 42-21 and out-homered them 13-6 at Camden Yards, where they have a team batting average of .299. The Orioles hit three homers in last night's 10-2 win. Chris...

The Orioles have reached an anniversary tonight that they won't celebrate. Exactly one year ago, they played the first no-fans game against the White Sox at Camden Yards. Empty seats except for a couple of scouts. Almost forgotten is the final score, an 8-2 win for the Orioles. Two games were postponed and a series against the Rays was moved to St. Petersburg, Fla. due to civil unrest following the death of Freddie Gray, who died while in police custody. The starting time for this game was...

The Orioles were already leading the Chicago White Sox by four runs when Manny Machado batted against Jake Petricka with the bases loaded in the sixth inning. He looked to put a jolt into the ball and he did. Machado hit his second career grand slam and drove in a career-high five runs in the Orioles' 10-2 win over the White Sox. Beating the team with the best record in the league was not a bad way to start a 10-game homestand. "Just going up there being aggressive," Machado said of his...

The White Sox showed up at Camden Yards tonight with the lowest ERA in the majors and the Orioles crunched the numbers. Manny Machado hit his second career grand slam, Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo went back-to-back, and the Orioles cruised to a 10-2 win at frigid Camden Yards. Skated was more like it. Machado has 75 career home runs. Only Boog Powell and Eddie Murray totaled more before their 24th birthday. "Those were good players and Manny has a chance to be a real good player if he can...