NEW YORK - Catcher Matt Wieters is back in Atlanta following ligament-reconstructive surgery and already is doing some light exercises on his right elbow. Wieters is wearing an immobilizer on his arm instead of a cast. "They got the spur that we knew was there out," said manager Buck Showalter. "It's impossible to think he's going to throw even better next year, but he might." Showalter said Wieters could join the Orioles during the homestand that leads into the All-Star break. Steve...

The Braves have now won six of the first seven games against the Nationals this season following Thursday's 3-0 series-opening win. The Nationals have lost four straight against Atlanta, with their only victory a 2-1 decision April 6. Nationals manager Matt Williams said he takes the series with the Braves one game at a time and will not let the recent downslide against Atlanta cloud his team's preparations for tonight. Williams said Gavin Floyd's curveball last night was as one reason why...

NEW YORK - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy has committed seven errors over the last 14 games, giving him eight for the season. It's uncharacteristic of the two-time Gold Glove winner. "Obviously, not as good as I've been," he said. "I've made a few errors - throwing, fielding. I've been working on that, too. My body feels fine. It hasn't been coming together. "It's just maybe ... I have no idea. You know, it hasn't been great, but I'm grinding through it." Hardy carries a .289...

The Nationals are looking to get back in the win column tonight after dropping last night's series opener to the Braves. Tonight's starter, Stephen Strasburg, has recorded 11 consecutive quality starts. For the Nats: CF Denard Span 3B Anthony Rendon RF Jayson Werth 1B Adam LaRoche LF Ryan Zimmerman SS Ian Desmond 2B Danny Espinosa C Jose Lobaton RHP Stephen Strasburg

NEW YORK - Steve Pearce will bat second again tonight for the Orioles, as they open a three-game series against the Yankees. Ryan Flaherty is starting at second base and Nick Hundley is catching. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Steve Pearce DH Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz LF J.J. Hardy SS Manny Machado 3B Ryan Flaherty 2B Nick Hundley C Ubaldo Jimenez RHP For the Yankees Brett Gardner LF Derek Jeter SS Jacoby Ellsbury CF Mark Teixeira 1B Brian McCann C Carlos Beltran DH Ichiro...

The Nationals announced they have agreed to terms with 24 players drafted in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, including five of the top seven they selected. The most recognizable name of those is Ryan Ripken, the son of Hall of Famer and Orioles legend Cal Ripken, Jr. Ryan Ripken is a first baseman who was selected in the 15th round. The 20-year-old is a left-handed hitter at 6-foot-5, 193 lbs., out of Indian River (Fla.) State College. Ryan played one season at South Carolina, and was...

The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with 24 players selected in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft: catcher Jakson Reetz (third round), right-handed pitcher Robbie Dickey (fourth round), right-handed pitcher Drew Van Orden (fifth round), right-handed pitcher Austen Williams (sixth round), center fielder Dale Carey (seventh round), right fielder Matthew Page (10th round), right-handed pitcher Weston Davis (11th round), right-handed pitcher Domenick Mancini (12th round), third baseman...

The Orioles' entry in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League begins a new season this afternoon playing against the GCL Rays in the season opener. The GCL Orioles' opening day roster (with round noted for 2014 draft picks): Pitchers: Almonte, Jefferies - 22 Alvarado, Cristian - 19 Aquino, Wilmer - 22 Ayers, Daniel - 19 Fermin, Yeraldo - 22 Floranus, Wendell - 19 Grendell, Kevin - 20 Homick, Max - 22 Isenia, Jonatan - 21 Jimenez, Francisco - 19 Lin, Yi-Hsiang - 21 McAdams, Sean - 20 Novak, Jan -...

I reunited with two longtime friends last weekend. We grew up in Baltimore and share a common love for the Orioles. Life has taken us in different directions, but baseball brings us back together. Our summertime reunions have occurred in ballparks across the country. We had one in Cooperstown when Cal Ripken Jr. entered the Hall of Fame. This year, with one of my friends preparing for a cross-country move, we returned home. The trip provided me the opportunity to spend time with another old...

Heading into the final series of the season with the Atlanta Braves last September, the Nationals were 4-12 against their National League East rivals, with an 0-6 record against the eventual division winners in games played at home in the nation's capital. Then-Nats skipper Davey Johnson was determined to send the Braves a message at the end of a fairly contentious, season-spanning battle between the two teams which saw several players hit with pitches intentional and questionable, ejections...