ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The four-game series against the Rays offers a chance for Orioles reliever Mychal Givens to pitch at home. Givens was drafted as a shortstop in the second round in 2009 out of H.B. Plant High School in Tampa, about a 20-25 minute drive to Tropicana Field. "It's a good feeling to be home," he said. "I haven't played here since high school. It's a good feeling to be back and be around family and friends. "They've seen some games on TV because they're broadcast...

Throughout the Nationals' 145 games this season, Bryce Harper's lofty batting average has remained a constant. But over the summer months, Harper's homers decreased from six in June to five in July and then only two in August. Now in September, the 22-year-old slugger is on pace to blow out the artillery show from May, when he bombed 13 homers and drove in 28 runs, winning the National League's Player of the Month. Through 15 games this month, Harper is slashing .417/.540/1.063 with nine...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed that Ubaldo Jimenez will start Monday night against the Nationals in D.C. Chris Tillman will pitch Tuesday, and Wednesday's starter is listed as TBD. Tyler Wilson's turn falls on that day. However, Showalter didn't rule out Mike Wright returning to the rotation. It's a fluid situation. Miguel Gonzalez will throw from 120 feet on Friday and could rejoin the rotation next weekend in Boston. Showalter pretty much ruled out...

The Nationals return home to begin their longest homestand of the regular season, spanning 11 games. They begin with the Marlins. Miami stunned the first-place Mets 6-0 Wednesday night in New York. They also took two of three versus the Nationals last week in South Florida. The Marlins have won 11 of their last 15 games. Imagine what they could have done with Giancarlo Stanton? The Nationals swept the hapless no-name Phillies 24-9. In last night's 12-2 shellacking, Jayson Werth hit two homers...

Nationals right-hander Drew Storen met with the media in front of his locker for the first time at Nationals Park since it was announced he is out for the season due to a broken right thumb. Storen injured the thumb by slamming the door shut to his locker following a pair of rough performances last homestand against the New York Mets. Storen described his conversation with manager Matt Williams after it was diagnosed as a broken thumb and that he would be out for the season. "I kind of just...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles have adjusted their rotation for the Rays series by inserting rookie Tyler Wilson. Chris Tillman starts tonight, followed by Wilson on Friday, Wei-Yin Chen on Saturday and Kevin Gausman on Sunday. Ubaldo Jimenez had been scheduled for Sunday, but he could go Monday in Washington D.C. The Orioles are off next Thursday. Manager Buck Showalter hasn't met with the media to detail the changes and how they impact rookie Mike Wright, who lasted only three-plus...

Tanner Roark makes his third straight start since rejoining the Nationals rotation on Sept. 4. The right-hander has been limited to 69 pitches in each of his last two innings as he continues to stretch out after spending the majority of the season pitching out of the bullpen. Roark has allowed three runs on 13 hits over nine innings in his last two outings. The 28-year-old is 2-3 with two holds, one save and a 2.35 ERA in 11 games, including five starts, in his career against the Marlins. Yunel...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Nolan Reimold is leading off tonight and playing left field for the opener of a four-games series against the Rays at Tropicana Field. Dariel Alvarez is in right field , Steve Pearce is at first base and Chris Davis is serving as the designated hitter. Second baseman Jonathan Schoop is batting .324/.359/.595 (12-for-37) during his career-high nine-game hitting streak. Third baseman Manny Machado is batting .304/.420/.518 (17-for-56) in his last 15 games Rule 5 pick...

Joe Castiglione is in his 35th broadcasting season and his 32nd with the Red Sox. No one has broadcast more Boston games than Joe. He is also authored two books on his tenure with the Red Sox, "Broadcast Rites and Sites: I Saw it on the Radio with the Boston Red Sox" and "Can You Believe It?: 30 Years of Insider Stories with the Boston Red Sox." We have long been friends and I am a longtime admirer of his work and his person. When we got together at Camden Yards to hit the books, Joe went...

The Orioles begin their last road trip of the season tonight, playing the first of four games against Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field. It is the opener of a three-city, 10-game trip that also will see the Orioles play at Washington and Boston. The Orioles are 8-7 against Tampa Bay in 2015 and 6-3 at The Trop. They have a team batting average of .211 in the season series, scoring 50 runs in the 15 games with a team ERA of 3.53. The Orioles lost 10-1 to Boston at home last night to snap a three-game...