We are now just hours away from the start of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft. It begins at 7 p.m. tonight and will be televised live on MLB Network. For the second time in club history, the Arizona Diamondbacks have the first overall pick. They also selected first in 2005. The draft will span three days, as it has since 2009, and will last 40 rounds. Tonight's picks go through the second round and Competitive Balance Round B that follows it. Selections come tomorrow in rounds three through 10...

The Cubs combined a double from left fielder Chris Coghlan and a single from shortstop Starlin Castro to score the game's first run in the second inning. The Nationals answered in the bottom of the frame. After Wilson Ramos reached on an error by Castro, Ian Desmond launched his fifth homer of the year to deep right-center field. Nats starter Jordan Zimmermann has allowed one run on three hits with a walk and two strikeouts through the first two innings. Update: The Cubs tied it up in the...

The Orioles offense looks a lot better when they get some clutch, two-out hits with runners on base. They got some today and Bud Norris appreciated that in his return to the team. The Orioles added to a 1-0 lead with a three-run fourth inning and went to beat Cleveland 7-3 this afternoon to take two of three in the series. Cleveland had won 14 of 20 coming into this series. The Orioles had scored six or more runs just once in the previous 16 games and were held to one run in Saturday's loss....

Jimmy Paredes singled to right field today in the top of the fourth inning, which draws a different response now that he's cooled off at the plate. This isn't Jimmy being Jimmy. It's Paredes in desperate need of a hit. Paredes was in a 2-for-35 slump dating to May 27, his averaging falling to .296. He was hitting .353 before the bat went cold. Matt Wieters served as the designated hitter yesterday, which forced Paredes to the bench. Wieters is catching today and should be behind the plate...

Yunel Escobar returns to the Nationals lineup this afternoon after missing the past two games with a sore right wrist. Escobar injured his wrist on a check swing in the first inning of Thursday's loss to the Cubs and immediately left the game. Nationals manager Matt Williams has Escobar slated to bat second and playing third base with Anthony Rendon still in the cleanup role and at second base. Tyler Moore starts at first base today as Ryan Zimmerman gets a day off. Zimmerman, still hampered...

The Orioles are 1-20 when scoring two runs or fewer following yesterday's 2-1 loss to the Indians. The Orioles are 8-8 in one-run games. They're also 0-27 when trailing after seven innings, 0-28 when trailing after eight innings and 3-21 when scoring fewer than four runs. Catcher Matt Wieters is 4-for-7 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored since coming off the disabled list. Center fielder Adam Jones is 8-for-16 in his last four games, with a double, two triples, two home runs and three...

The Orioles have optioned infielder Rey Navarro to Triple-A Norfolk to make room for today's starter, Bud Norris, who comes off the disabled list for the series finale against the Indians. Navarro, 25, batted .276/.276/.448 (8-29) with two doubles, a home run, three RBIs and five runs scored in 10 games with the Orioles this season. The Orioles are going with a three-man bench as left-hander Brian Matusz continues to serve his suspension. Matt Wieters is catching and batting cleanup today. For...

The Orioles today announced that they have reinstated RHP BUD NORRIS from the 15-day disabled list and optioned INF REY NAVARRO to Triple-A Norfolk. Norris, 30, was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 18 (retroactive to May 11) with bronchitis. He made three rehab starts between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk, going 0-2 with a 10.03 ERA (11.2IP, 13ER), including 4.0 hitless innings in his last start with the Tides on June 3. In six starts this season with the Orioles, Norris is...

Last night at the Marriott Marquis Washington, DC, the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation highlighted its community contributions at the 10th annual Dream Gala. As the primary fundraiser for the Nationals Dream Foundation, the 2015 Dream Gala ​netted more than $600,000 for the Foundation's three cornerstone programs which focus on children's health, education and recreation. The Dream Gala featured a cocktail reception and silent auction, a dinner program emceed by MSNBC television...

The numbers for the Orioles offense were good - in April. But since then, we've seen nothing but inconsistency that has led to losses. Losses in winnable games like Saturday, where the O's could have forced extra innings with just two runs and won with three. But they could not do that. The O's offense: * Has produced one run or less 11 times this year. * Has produced two runs or less in five of the last nine and 14 of the last 27 games. * Has produced three runs or fewer in 24 games and the...