Orioles third baseman Manny Machado will participate in the Home Run Derby that precedes the 86th All-Star Game in Cincinnati. Machado, Josh Donaldson, Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols will take their swings for the American League, while Kris Bryant, Todd Frazier, Joc Pederson and Anthony Rizzo represent the National League. Machado, the fourth seed, faces fifth-seeded Pederson in the opening round under the new format. Now that Machado has agreed to do it, there's no turning back, back,...

Manager: Buck Showalter (6th season) Record: 43-42 Last 10 games: 2-8 Who to watch: 3B Manny Machado (.301/.360/.535 with 19 HR, 48 RBIs), DH Jimmy Paredes (.299, 10 HR), CF Adam Jones (.284/.430/.471 with 11 HR, 40 RBIs), 1B Chris Davis (19 HR, 52 RBIs), LHP Wei-Yin Chen (4-4, 2.82 EA), RHP Darren O'Day (5-0, 1.10 ERA, 0.80 WHIP), LHP Zach Britton (23 saves, 1.77 ERA, 1.04 WHIP) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (3-1 in 2014) Pitching probables: July 10: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP...

From the time they arrived from Montreal before the 2005 season, the Nationals have been a mainstay in the Washington, D.C., sports scene. But the Nats are also very active in the community, working diligently over the past decade to touch the lives of many in the region and proving that baseball has a further reach than wins and losses, balls and strikes, batters and pitchers. Each Thursday through mid-August, MASNsports.com's Byron Kerr will explore the Nationals' community outreach...

It's probably about time, maybe well past time, that analysts start focusing more on what Orioles pitching prospect Zach Davies can do rather than what he cannot. Yes, he is a slender-built right-hander at 6-foot and 150 lbs., and no, he does not throw a mid-90s fastball. Yet he has made consistent progress since the day the Orioles drafted him, and that progress will lead him to the All-Star Futures Game this Sunday in Cincinnati. At least the analysts have noticed Davies' steady progress....

Nationals center fielder Denard Span is scheduled to see a back specialist on Thursday as the Nationals try to figure out why his back spasms continue to occur. "I haven't done much. I've been instructed to kind of take it easy," Span said Wednesday afternoon. "That's where we are." Span ruled himself out of the Orioles series. "No chance," Span answered when asked about playing in Baltimore over the weekend. Manager Matt Williams said the Nationals are in a holding pattern until the...

The Orioles today announced that they have optioned infielder Christian Walker to Triple-A Norfolk. Walker was recalled earlier today and started as the designated hitter in today's game against the Minnesota Twins, going 1-for-2 with a walk. In seven career Major League games, he has batted .200/.273/.400 (4-20) with a double, home run, and an RBI.

The Orioles optioned Christian Walker to Triple-A Norfolk following today's 5-3 loss to the Twins that completed a three-game sweep. The Orioles hadn't been swept in a three-game series in Minnesota since 2007. They hadn't been swept in a three-game series this season since April 21-23 in Toronto. Serving as the designated hitter today, Walker went 1-for-2 with a walk after the Orioles recalled him as the roster replacement for starter Kevin Gausman. They needed another opening for Thursday...

The Orioles again struggled to score. Their starting pitching kept the other team from doing so, but Ubaldo Jimenez's pitch count elevated quickly. And with two big swings in the last of the sixth today, the Minnesota Twins surged to a victory. Brian Dozier hit a two-run homer off struggling right-hander Bud Norris and Joe Mauer followed with a solo shot as the Twins beat the Orioles 5-3 to complete their first three-game sweep of the Orioles in Minnesota since April 2-4, 2007. The slumping...

The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Taylor Hill on Wednesday and optioned right-handed pitcher Taylor Jordan to Triple-A Syracuse. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Hill, 26, returns to the Nationals for his third stint of the season. In six games at the Major League-level this season (12.0 IP), Hill is 0-0 with a 3.75 ERA. In four of his six appearances out of the Nationals' bullpen, Hill has worked multiple innings. ...

Left-hander Gio Gonzalez takes the hill as the Nationals attempt to prevent a season sweep by the Reds. Gonzalez has pitched brilliantly his last two starts, allowing just one run over 14 innings with 10 strikeouts and two walks. The Reds tagged Gonzalez for four runs over 5 1/3 innings in the Nationals' 8-5 loss back on May 30. The big blow came on a two-run homer from Reds first baseman Joey Votto in the third. Votto has torched the Nats in the Reds' five wins this year. He's batting .450...