Earlier today, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said the Orioles didn't need top prospect Dylan Bundy to pitch at Triple-A Norfolk before becoming a candidate to be called up later in the summer. Bundy could make the jump from Double-A Bowie to the majors. Part of the reasoning involves Bundy's contract status for 2016, when he's out of options. "We talked about that," Showalter said. "No, not mandatory. Obviously, and we all know this, contractually he has to be on our major league club...

Since he threw 7 1/3 scoreless innings in his major league debut on Sunday at Camden Yards, Mike Wright's cell phone has been blowing up. He's getting a lot of congratulations from a lot of people. "I had a lot of message, lot of things on social media," Wright said this afternoon. "Good to know I have that much support. I heard from my grandmom. She hated she couldn't be here but I know she was watching every pitch and loving it. She just had a birthday yesterday." Now that Wright got...

Bud Norris threw today and it "went well," according to Orioles manager Buck Showalter. Norris remains scheduled to start Friday night at Triple-A Norfolk while recovering from bronchitis. Chris Tillman is still listed as Thursday afternoon's starter against the Mariners at Camden Yards. Matt Wieters had some hamstring tightness, but he's slated to catch on Thursday at extended spring training before meeting the Orioles over the weekend in Miami. Chris Davis is in the lineup tonight despite...

The Nationals enter tonight's game against the Yankees having won four consecutive games that Jordan Zimmermann has started. The right-hander hurled six scoreless innings against the Padres in last Friday's 10-0 victory while also collecting a double at the plate. Zimmermann will work with Wilson Ramos behind the plate this evening. Ramos extended his major league-leading 19-game hitting streak with a solo homer last night that tied the game in the sixth. Over the stretch, Ramos is batting...

Rey Navarro is starting at second base tonight for the Orioles and Steve Pearce is in left field. Delmon Young is in right field and batting cleanup. Chris Davis remains in the lineup despite facing a left-hander, Roenis Elias, and being 1-for-20 in his last six games. He's taking early batting practice again today. The Orioles have gone 10-3 against the Mariners at Camden Yards dating back to the start of the 2011 season. Seattle has dropped 18 of its last 26 in Baltimore, and is 39-69 (.361)...

Manager: Ryne Sandberg (3rd season) Record: 18-25 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: 1B Ryan Howard (.257/.307/.521 with 9 HR, 21 RBIs), SS Freddie Galvis (.319, 11 RBIs), CF Odubel Herrera (.262, 13 RBIs), RHP Cole Hamels (4-3, 3.24 ERA), RHP Aaron Harang (4-3, 1.82 ERA), RHP Jonathan Papelbon (11 saves, 1.50 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 3-3 Pitching probables: May 22: RHP Sean O'Sullivan vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 7:05 p.m. MASN May 23: LHP Cole Hamels vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg, 4:05 p.m.,...

Manager: Dan Jennings (1st season) Record: 16-26 Last 10 games: 1-9 Who to watch: RF Giancarlo Stanton (.239/.324/523 with 12 HR, 39 RBIs), SS Adeiny Hechevarria (.297 with 20 RBIs), CF Marcell Ozuna (.276 with 3 HR, 12 RBIs), RHP Dan Haren (4-2, 3.47 ERA), RHP A.J. Ramos (0.90 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 26 Ks in 20 IP) Season series vs. Orioles: First meeting (2-1 in 2010) Pitching probables: May 22: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez vs. RHP Henderson Alvarez, 7:10 p.m., MASN2 May 23: RHP Mike Wright vs. RHP Dan Haren,...

I keep track of new writings by Joyce Carol Oates and then, when they are released, I cringe before I read a word. Oates is one of this generation's most accomplished writers. She will forever have a place in a list of authors to be read. I cringe at many of her works because they get too close to the truth of human existence through the characters of her novels, who often are fictionalized (just barely) well-known personalities. "Blonde" is about the life of Marilyn Monroe, and was written...

Since their inception in 2005, the Nationals have gone from a cellar-dwelling team to a two-time National League East championship ballclub eager to take home baseball's top prize of a world championship. There have been several major milestone moments along the way, including the team's first no-hitter pitched by Jordan Zimmermann in 2014 and the back-to-back No. 1 draft picks of Stephen Strasburg in 2009 and Bryce Harper in 2010 that added talent - and mainstream buzz within the American...

For starters, the debut of Mike Wright on Sunday was about as awe-inspiring as a debut can be. Seriously, I can't imagine what must have been going through his mind walking off the mound in the 8th inning to a standing ovation like he did. And he indicated as much after the game, saying that you really couldn't draw it up any better than that. However, Buck Showalter said something that piqued my interest in his postgame press conference on Sunday afternoon. He said that in Wright's case,...