The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is on Tuesday, July 14. At least one representative from each major league team plays for home field advantage in the World Series. Fans vote for the starting nine position players, a players' vote fills in reserves, and then the manager consults with the leagues and picks the pitching staff and remaining bench players. This year's contest is at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. Two Nationals made it in - Bryce Harper and Max Scherzer - and that...

Kevin Gausman makes his third start of the 2015 season tonight as the Orioles continue their series in Minnesota. Is it also Gausman's last start before being optioned again to the minors? The Orioles need to create a roster spot Thursday for outfielder Nolan Reimold, who comes off the paternity list. As I've written, they could option a starting pitcher as the All-Star break approaches and bring him back in 10 days. It's a common move for the Orioles to send out a starter during that week...

Sometimes you get the clutch hits and sometimes you don't. Recently for the Orioles, they don't. They went hitless with runners in scoring position in last night's loss at Minnesota. But heading in to the night, the Orioles topped major league baseball in batting average with RISP: .306 - Orioles .301 - Toronto and Colorado But last night, the Orioles went 0-for-8 in RISP situations, and they are 4-for-42 over the last six games. Their four hits all came in one game, Sunday's 9-1 win at the...

The Nationals showed up to spring training with injuries and they've continued to play short-handed since opening day. They've persevered through serious setbacks and nagging twinges to maintain their expected position atop the National League East. At some point, though, the depleted roster has to catch up to them. Tonight, the Nationals couldn't outlast the Reds after losing center fielder Denard Span and third baseman Yunel Escobar. An eighth-inning solo homer from Eugenio Suarez off Nats...

Darren O'Day is a very good relief pitcher, but you already know that. You probably also know by now that O'Day was selected to the All-Star Game along with fellow Orioles Adam Jones, Manny Machado, and Zach Britton. All are deserving choices, though plenty of deserving players around the league are left off the team each year. Regardless, it's impressive to have four players on the team overall and two pitchers from the same bullpen. It's impossible to watch O'Day pitch without marveling...

Reliever Casey Janssen thrives on those late-inning calls. He got one Monday night against the Reds in a tie ballgame. But for the first time in his career, Janssen allowed a home run on a 0-2 count. Reds shortstop Eugenio Suarez drove the offering deep down the left field line for the solo shot just inside the foul pole that lifted the Reds to a 3-2 win over the Nationals. It was his third homer of the season. The Reds went on to win the game by not allowing a hit over the final three...

It was a high fastball and Minnesota's Brian Dozier didn't miss it. Dozier's two-run blast in the last of the 10th gave Minnesota a 4-2 walk-off win over the Orioles tonight in the opener of a three-game series. Working his second inning, Tommy Hunter allowed a one-out single to Danny Santana. He fell behind Dozier 2-0, who smoked a 96 mph fastball for his 17th homer to win the game. This was the Orioles' third walk-off loss of the year. The other two were April 18 at Boston and May 23 at...

Nationals center fielder Denard Span left tonight's game after the second inning. The Nationals don't provide injury updates during the game, but Span has been bothered by back spasms since June 7. Michael A. Taylor took over for Span in center field while Matt den Dekker entered the game in left. The Reds and Nationals nearly made it through the first inning before heavy showers arrived. After a 29-minute rain delay, Bryce Harper stepped into the batter's box and launched the first pitch...

The Orioles will have four representatives in Cincinnati next week for the 86th All-Star Game, including two first-timers from their bullpen. Center fielder Adam Jones has made his fifth All-Star team and third baseman Manny Machado is selected as a reserve for the second time in his career. They're joined by closer Zach Britton and set-up man Darren O'Day, novices to the Midsummer Classic. Jones, also an All-Star in 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014, is batting 286/.334/.464 with 13 doubles, three...

Washington Nationals right-handed pitcher Max Scherzer was named to the 2015 National League All-Star team on Monday night. Scherzer joins right fielder Bryce Harper, who was announced Sunday as a fan-elected starter, as the Nationals' selections to the National League squad. The 2015 AL and NL All-Star rosters were unveiled during the "Esurance All-Star Selection Show" on ESPN on Monday night. Scherzer, who has now received three consecutive All-Star nods, is 9-6 with a 1.82 ERA in 16...