VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals' first full-squad workout of the spring came and went without one of the club's most recognizable players in attendance. Jayson Werth was absent from this morning's workout on the fields outside Space Coast Stadium due to an illness that left the veteran outfielder in bed. "We sent him home," manager Dusty Baker said. "He was sick. So we quarantined him. We didn't want him to spread it." Werth had appeared at the stadium several times earlier this week,...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Dexter Fowler is telling reporters at the Cubs spring training complex that he never had an agreement with the Orioles. Meanwhile, multiple sources confirmed on Tuesday that the deal was completed. One person in the organization told me, "It's done." It's become evident that Fowler wanted a shorter deal - he agreed to one year and a mutual option with the Cubs - or an opt-out clause. The Orioles weren't going to surrender their compensatory draft pick under those...

SARASOTA, Fla. - With an hour remaining before the Orioles hold their press conference for new pitcher Yovani Gallardo, news broke that outfielder Dexter Fowler re-signed with the Cubs. This has been anything but a normal spring training. The Orioles had an agreement with Fowler on a three-year deal worth $33 million, according to multiple sources. It was done Tuesday. Now comes word that he signed a one-year deal with the Cubs that includes a mutual option. Fowler reportedly will receive $8...

Right-hander Austin Voth is getting acclimated to the Nationals spring training clubhouse, even if he can't hang close to the other pitchers. Voth, 23, a non-roster invitee, is the only pitcher who's locker is not with the other hurlers. His belongings are on the same side of the clubhouse as all of the position players in Viera, Fla. But Voth doesn't care; he's just thrilled to be in a big league camp for the first time. "I'm just happy to be here," Voth said in an interview with...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Yovani Gallardo went through a series of fielding drills this morning, moving from station to station during the Orioles' second day of full-squad workouts. Pretty much every move was documented by the local beat crew. The line between reporter and stalker is a thin one. Gallardo is wearing No. 49 and Dylan Bundy has switched to No. 37. I'll assume that Bundy was properly compensated for surrendering his digits. Jimmy Paredes is tracking fly balls this morning with the...

VIERA, Fla. - Blake Treinen was hanging out Wednesday evening, minding his own business, when his phone rang. He glanced down, saw it was his mother calling and answered, assuming she was just checking in on things. The call proved to be not nearly as banal as that. "You're never going to guess what happened!" she yelled into the phone. "You were a clue on 'Jeopardy!'" Within minutes, Treinen's phone was buzzing nonstop, with Nationals teammates and coaches, old friends and relatives...

SARASOTA, Fla. - When Chris Davis agreed to terms on a new seven-year contract with the Orioles last month, the roster didn't include pitcher Yovani Gallardo and outfielder Dexter Fowler. It was a work in progress, and the club gets much busier after players report to spring training. Gallardo agreed to a restructured two-year deal with an option that guarantees $22 million and could max out at $33 million. His press conference is being held this afternoon and will air live on MASN at 1:30...

The Orioles today announced that they have signed right-hander Yovani Gallardo (pronounced yoh-VAH-nee giy-YAHR-doh) to a two-year contract with a club option for 2018. To make room on the 40-man roster, outfielder Efren Navarro has been designated for assignment. Gallardo, 29, went 13-11 with a 3.42 ERA (70 earned runs in 184 1/3 innings pitched) in 33 starts with the Texas Rangers in 2015. The right-hander has earned 12 or more victories in six of his last seven seasons and is 102-75 with a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have designated outfielder/first baseman Efren Navarro for assignment to make room for pitcher Yovani Gallardo on the 40-man roster. The Gallardo deal is official. The Orioles issued the news release and are setting up his press conference in the media workroom. Gallardo will be in uniform and participate in his first workout today as the tarp comes off the Camden Yards replica field following yesterday's series of storms. Since 2009, Gallardo ranks seventh in...

VIERA, Fla. - So far in this first week of spring training, nearly all discussion of Ryan Zimmerman has been focused on his attempt to clear his name in the wake of Al Jazeera America's controversial documentary naming him as a receiver of performance enhancing drugs. Zimmerman spent roughly 20 minutes Tuesday answering question after question about that documentary and the subsequent defamation lawsuit he and the Phillies' Ryan Howard have filed against Al Jazeera, one of the network's...