The Nationals' starting lineup for Game 1 of the National League Division Series didn't feature any surprises. The back end of the team's 25-man roster might have surprised some. The Nationals opted to put Rafael Soriano on their roster for the NLDS, while Ross Detwiler was left out of the eight-man bullpen. Detwiler had one clunker down the stretch, allowing three runs in an inning against the Braves, but was unscored upon in seven of his eight September appearances. Soriano was tremendous...

This playoff thing really agrees with Nick Markakis. Markakis homered with two outs in the bottom of the third to score Jonathan Schoop and give the Orioles a 2-0 lead in Game 2 of the American League Division Series. It's the first postseason home run of Markakis' career, and his third hit and second RBI in less than 24 hours. Justin Verlander shook off catcher Alex Avila and threw a 94 mph fastball with the count full. Markakis' ball hit the roof of the grounds crew shed, bringing an...

Manager Matt Williams spoke with the media prior to the National League Division series opener Friday at Nationals Park. Williams confirmed that right-hander Tanner Roark will come out of the bullpen in the series. Williams was asked if he planned this 25-man roster with specialists in mind or preferred long men coming out of the pen. "With the days off, especially the first round with the days off, you have those options," Williams said. "Nobody is ever going to have to go three days in a...

Since the Orioles moved to Baltimore in 1954, their postseason winning percentage of .588 (50-35) ranks second in the majors behind only Miami at .667 (22-11). The Orioles look to add to that here this afternoon. According to ESPN Stats & Info, since 1995, 61 percent of teams that won Game 1 of a Division Series went on to win the series. And 12 of the last 14 Game 1 winners went on to advance. The last 13 teams to take a 2-0 lead went on to win the Division Series. After pitching well in...

The Orioles may not have the most speed in the majors, but they're used to fast turnarounds. They're back at Camden Yards this morning for a 12:07 p.m. start in Game 2 of the Division Series. Sleeping fast, as manager Buck Showalter advises, may have included a few players spending the night here. Showalter's been known through the years to crash in his office - he had a Murphy bed in Arizona - but he wouldn't admit whether it happened last night. Right fielder Nick Markakis figures...

During his Game 2 American League Division Series pregame press conference at Camden Yards this morning, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he would not know if outfielder Rajai Davis would play today until after batting practice. Davis has been hampered since Saturday by a ligament sprain in the pelvic area. He played last night, going 1-for-3 but was pinch hit for in the ninth inning. Update: Davis is in the lineup for Game 2, batting ninth in center field. Ausmus talked about his team...

The Nationals lineup for Game 1 of the National League Division Series looks a lot like the Nationals lineup for the last handful of weeks of the regular season. As expected, Ryan Zimmerman will come off the bench, with Anthony Rendon staying at third base and the Nats' regular outfield remaining in place. For the GiantsCF Gregor Blanco2B Joe PanikC Buster Posey3B Pablo SandovalRF Hunter Pence1B Brandon BeltSS Brandon CrawfordLF Travis IshikawaRHP Jake Peavy For the NationalsCF Denard Span 3B...

The Washington Nationals today announced their 25-man roster for the 2014 NLDS against the San Francisco Giants. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Washington's roster will consist of 12 pitchers (three left-handed pitchers, nine right-handed pitchers) and 13 position players (two catchers, seven infielders, four outfielders): Pitchers LHP Jerry Blevins LHP Gio Gonzalez LHP Matt Thornton RHP Aaron Barrett RHP Tyler Clippard RHP...

*We'll be updating this entry all day, so keep scrolling and check back often! REMINDER: We'll be covering the Birds on the road, so be sure to check out Operation October daily for insider's access throughout the team's postseason run! 10 a.m. - About last night Game 1 was fun, right? Let's do it all over again today! The gates are open and we're two hours away from first pitch. Can the Orioles carry last night's offensive momentum into today? (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs =...

Miguel Gonzalez is scheduled to start Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Sunday in Detroit. Gonzalez won't be in the bullpen today unless there's an emergency. Bud Norris is available in relief today and is expected to start Game 4 if necessary. As for today's lineup, the only change is Caleb Joseph behind the plate. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Alejandro De Aza LF Adam Jones CF Nelson Cruz DH Steve Pearce 1B J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty 3B Caleb Joseph C Jonathan Schoop...