MIAMI - Jimmy Paredes remains in the Orioles lineup tonight at second base. Paredes currently leads the American League with a .353 average. Mariners outfielder and former teammate Nelson Cruz went 1-for-4 today to lower his average to .352 Cruz has played 42 games, Paredes 28. Paredes has collected at least one hit in 25 of his 28 games, and 15 of his 41 hits have gone for extra bases. He's currently riding a 19-game on-base streak since April 24. The Orioles (19-20) are trying to reach .500...

Anthony Rendon was on the field for more pregame work with the Nationals this afternoon. Stationed at second base, Rendon took several grounders while working on double plays. "He feels good," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "A little bit more intensity today on the ground balls ... turning the pivot at second. He feels good about where he's at right now. After yesterday, he reported today feeling great." After infield practice, Rendon jumped in the batter's box for a full round of...

MIAMI - The Orioles have optioned pitcher Tyler Wilson to Triple-A Norfolk, as expected, to make room for reliever Oliver Drake on the 25-man roster. Drake has been recalled from Norfolk and will be in uniform tonight at Marlins Park. He's been assigned No. 71. Wilson, 25, made two appearances with the Orioles since being recalled on Monday. He made his debut two nights later and tossed a scoreless inning in relief against the Mariners. He allowed a run last night in one-plus innings and...

Nationals manager Matt Williams confirmed that right-hander Tanner Roark will start Monday's afternoon game in Chicago against the Cubs. "Tanner is going to pitch Monday," Williams said. "So the way it lines up, it gives (Jordan Zimmermann) an extra day." Roark made a career-high 31 starts in 2014. He won a career-high 15 games to 10 losses, throwing close to 200 innings and sporting a 2.85 ERA. Williams said right-hander Doug Fister might throw during batting practice today, but it looks...

The Nationals enter this afternoon's contest against the Phillies as winners of 18 of their past 22 games dating back to April 28. Over the torrid stretch, the Nats are leading the majors in runs (138), runs per game (6.27), batting average (.299), on-base percentage (.366) and slugging percentage (.485). The 18-4 marks also ties the best 22-game record in Nationals' history (2005-present). Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels and Nationals righty Stephen Strasburg are featured in a marquee...

It seemed as though the Nationals were taking a big risk when signing free agent Max Scherzer to a seven-year, $210 million contract this offseason. The questions surrounding the monumental deal weren't necessarily about whether Scherzer was worth the money, but rather how he would affect a Nats team that already had the best record in baseball over the past three seasons and the game's most imposing starting rotation. There were also doubts about how paying an outsider boatloads of money...

MIAMI - The Orioles are making another roster move today to bolster their bullpen, recalling right-hander Oliver Drake from Triple-A Norfolk. Drake will be in Miami for tonight's game against the Marlins. Right-hander Tyler Wilson, who earned his first major league win last night, most likely is the corresponding move. Wilson has pitched twice in the past three games and he has options, unlike most of the relievers. As I wrote this morning, Drake has posted a 0.96 ERA in 16 games with the...

High Single-A Potomac Nationals right-hander Reynaldo Lopez had a tough outing Friday in a 8-4 loss at Myrtle Beach. Lopez (2-1) lasted only 2 2/3 innings, allowing five earned runs on five hits with one walk, a wild pitch and two strikeouts. The P-Nats did crank three homers. Isaac Ballou, Brandon Miller and former Pelican Christopher Bostick went yard, but it wasn't enough as the P-Nats fell to 5-9 versus Southern Division opponents. Despite the loss, Lopez has still impressed in his jump to...

He struck out Mike Trout for his first big league strikeout. He pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings on just 90 pitches. He was throwing in the high 90s at times both early and late in his outing. Mike Wright's major league debut last Sunday at home in a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels was sensational. Tonight, he makes his second big league start when he takes the mound in Miami against the Marlins. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Wright became the first pitcher in Orioles franchise history...

MIAMI - Orioles manager Buck Showalter will celebrate his 59th birthday today by deciding whether Jimmy Paredes should remain in the lineup and how many right-handers to send out against Marlins starter Dan Haren. I'd prefer a bowling party. And cake. Haren is a right-hander with reverse splits in his career. Right-handers bat .267 against him and left-handers bat .240. However, left-handers are hitting .271 against him this season and right-handers are hitting only .186. Showalter, having...