Orioles manager Buck Showalter indicated that third baseman Manny Machado could decide to drop the appeal of his five-game suspension, handed down today by Major League Baseball. It's currently under discussion. Otherwise, a hearing could be held next week in New York. The Orioles have an off day on June 19 before starting a three-game series against the Yankees on the following night. Ideally, the Orioles would prefer to have the suspension begin on the off-day. Though it wouldn't count as...

Manny Machado confirmed this afternoon that he has appealed his five-game suspension handed down by Major League Baseball earlier today. He is in tonight's starting lineup for the game against Boston. "Yeah, of course," he said of his appeal. "Obviously (I) don't want to be down for five days. Need to try and help this team in any way. We have a lot of tough games up on the road. Need to be a part of this team. Been helping this team for a long time and I don't want to be down for so...

The Orioles today announced that they will host LUNGevity Foundation's Breathe Deep Baltimore, a walk to raise funds and awareness for lung cancer in memory of Orioles' late Public Relations Director, Monica Pence Barlow, on September 20 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The 5K walk will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude on the field. Registration begins at 7:00 a.m., and participants will receive a T-shirt and refreshments. Registration fees are $25 for adults, $20 for lung cancer survivors,...

Manny Machado is starting at third base tonight for the Orioles while appealing his five-game suspension. Adam Jones is serving as the designated hitter for the second consecutive game. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones DH Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz LF J.J. Hardy SS David Lough CF Caleb Joseph C Ryan Flaherty 2B Chris Tillman RHP For the Red Sox Brock Holt LF Xander Bogaerts 3B Dustin Pedroia 2B David Ortiz DH Mike Napoli 1B Daniel Nava RF A.J. Pierzynski C Grady...

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado has been suspended five games and fined an undisclosed amount for throwing his bat during Sunday's game against the Athletics at Camden Yards. Major League Baseball announced the suspension, which an industry source confirmed earlier today. Machado will appeal the suspension, according to a source, which allows him to remain in the lineup for tonight's game against the Red Sox. Oakland left-hander Fernando Abad has received a fine for an undisclosed...

ABERDEEN - Coming off the first playoff berth in the 12-year history of the franchise, the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds open a new season on Friday at Hudson Valley. Aberdeen went 40-32 last year, going 20-11 over its final 31 games to charge to the playoffs before getting eliminated two games to none by Tri-City. The 2014 IronBirds begin a new year with a season-opening roster that will include Dylan Bundy for at least two starts, along with 2013 third-round pick pitcher Stephen...

Right-hander Tanner Roark has been a key to the Nationals rotation coming together as a consistent, cohesive unit. It is hard to believe Roark lost 17 games in 2012. He slowly but surely made progress and then in 2013, after going 9-3 with a 3.15 ERA for Triple-A Syracuse, got his chance with the Nationals. While with the Nationals, he went 7-1 with a 1.51 ERA in 14 games, five of those starts. This season he has already made 12 starts, going 4-4 with a 2.91 ERA. He has 101 strikeouts and...

One of the early thoughts that emerged through the primordial sabermetric movement was that the previous year's numbers racked up at Triple-A was as meaningful as those earned at the major league level when trying to determine what would happen in the upcoming season. That matured into more refined ways to project performance, such as Clay Davenport's Minor League Translations. That approach looks at park factors, the performance of players crossing over from one minor league level to the...

Blake Treinen has done much as of late to solidify not only his spot on the 25-man roster, but in the starting rotation. In his most recent start against the San Diego Padres and rotation stalwart Andrew Cashner, the right-hander scattered five hits and two earned runs over six innings, keeping the Nationals in a game that was eventually lost 4-3 in 11 innings. While the effort did not earn him an elusive first major league win, it was nonetheless one that speaks well to Treinen's talent and...

SAN FRANCISCO - There's an old saying in the baseball world. It goes: "Momentum is the next day's starting pitcher." The Nationals have won eight of their last 10. Over those 10 games, they've outscored their opponents 62-18. Their starters have delivered 10 straight quality starts, and in their last six games, Nats starters have struck out 47 and walked none, making them the first team to do so since 1914. Last night, the Nats put a thumping on the best team in baseball, handing them...