When the Orioles made the 2012 playoffs, they had an excellent record within the American League East. The Orioles went 43-29 (.597), posting their best winning percentage in division games since 1980. The Orioles finished at .500 or better against each AL East team that year. The 2014 Orioles are doing even better against their own division. These Orioles are 40-23 (.635) in games versus the AL East, going 11-4 against New York, 10-6 versus Boston, 12-7 against Tampa Bay and 7-6 versus...

It is so close now. The Orioles could be celebrating a division title as soon as tomorrow. But it should come as no surprise that players in the O's clubhouse who have been so focused on taking the season day by day are not quite ready to talk much about that yet. Even with the magic number to clinch the American League East for the first time since 1997 at three. Adam Jones was asked today what it will be like to clinch in front of the home fans if and when that happens. He's not ready to...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Chris Davis will report to the Sarasota complex between Friday and Monday. Davis is flying back to Texas first before heading to Florida for workouts and instructional league games. The Orioles also can set up simulated games. Showalter may adjust the rotation following Thursday's off-day. He already met with Chris Tillman after last night's game. Also, the Orioles could add a player to their roster for the weekend series against the Red Sox that...

Prior to the September 17 game against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Orioles will host the American Heart Association and top donors for the 2015 Baltimore Heart Ball on the Centerfield Roof Deck for a special partnership launch event. The pregame activities will be highlighted by two on-field check presentations to the American Heart Association - one from the Orioles, and one from the event chair, SunTrust Foundation - to signify the official beginning of fundraising for the Heart Ball. The...

ATLANTA - The Nationals open their final three-game series at Turner Field - barring an unlikely late-season run by the Braves to secure one of the National League wild cards - with right-hander Stephen Strasburg on the mound. Strasburg hasn't traditionally fared well here - he's 1-3 with a 6.99 ERA in seven career starts. But he'll try for his 12th victory while making his team-high and career-best 32nd start of the season. He'll face righty Ervin Santana. The Nats' magic number stands at...

Kelly Johnson remains at third base tonight as the Orioles open a three-game series against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. Johnson hit a walk-off double last night to beat the Yankees 3-2 and lower the Orioles' magic number to three. The number will go down to one if the Orioles win tonight. The Orioles lead the season series 7-6, going 3-4 in Baltimore and 4-2 in Toronto. Ryan Flaherty is starting at second base. Jonathan Schoop is in a 1-for-31 slump in his last eight games. For the...

The Washington Nationals announced today that tickets for potential Postseason National League Division Series games at Nationals Park will go on sale to the general public on Monday, September 22 at 10 a.m. A maximum of four tickets for each game may be purchased either online at nationals.com/postseason or by calling 888.632.NATS(6287) on a first come, first served basis. Tickets will be unavailable for purchase at the box office. In addition, the Nationals Park Box Office will sell a...

Manager: Fredi Gonzalez, fourth year Record: 75-74 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: 1B Freddie Freeman (.293/.390/.476, 41 doubles, 18 HR, 73 RBIs, 90 R); LF Justin Upton (.277/.351/.502, 32 doubles, 27 HR, 96 RBIs); LHP Alex Wood (10-10, 2.83 ERA, 1.14 WHIP); RHP Ervin Santana (14-8, 3.76 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) Season series vs. Nats: 10-6, 64 runs scored, 48 runs allowed Pitching probables Sept. 15: Ervin Santana vs. Stephen Strasburg, 7 p.m., MASN HD Sept. 16: Aaron Harang vs. Tanner Roark, 7...

As long as you haven't been living under a rock over the past week or so, you'd know that it was a pretty awful week in sports. Stories of off-the-field issues and injuries polluted the news landscape and made us all feel pretty down. Most of this horrible news was confined to the NFL, but some leaked its way into baseball, including Marlins star Giancarlo Stanton getting hit in the face with a pitch and being hospitalized and Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon making a rude gesture at his own...

It comes down to this: With 14 games left in the regular season, the Nationals visit their division archrivals in Atlanta with a chance to clinch the National League East, drop the Braves below .500 and send them to the outer fringes of the postseason picture. In a season where they've overcome numerous injuries and setbacks, and a year removed from a disappointing out-of-the-money finish, it would be nice if the Nats could clinch in front of their home fans. But it's a great consolation to...