Doug Fister will take the mound today with a 2-0 lead, after the Nationals picked up a couple of runs early against Pirates lefty Francisco Liriano. Not all of the offense was, well, a result of the Nats' bats, but for a team struggling to score runs, who's going to complain? Denard Span started things off with a leadoff double and Anthony Rendon worked a walk. After Jayson Werth struck out, the Nats got a break when Adam LaRoche hit what normally would have been a double play ball into the...

The Orioles lost Saturday afternoon to the Cleveland Indians, and they are now a major league-worst 5-12 (.294) in day games this season. They play another day game here today, and it's on a Sunday to boot. The Orioles are just 1-6 on Sundays this season. Double whammy or reverse lock? Miguel Gonzalez (2-3, 4.53 ERA) will pitch for the Orioles against right-hander Trevor Bauer (1-1, 2.25). Bauer, the third overall pick by Arizona in the 2011 draft, has made two big league starts this year....

Two months into the season, here are answers to your most-often asked questions for your Memorial Day weekend reading: Q: Are the Blue Jays for real in the American League East? A: Yes, especially in a division where every team has flaws for the first time in who knows how many years? There is no question the Blue Jays have enough hitting. They lead the AL in home runs and are in the top five in run production. The question is the pitching: R.A. Dickey and Mark Buehrle are fine, but can a...

Infielder Steve Lombardozzi lasted one day with the Orioles before returning to Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles optioned Lombardozzi this afternoon to create a spot for catcher Nick Hundley on the 25-man roster. They also placed Chris Davis on paternity leave and activated reliever Preston Guilmet from the taxi squad. Lombardozzi, 25, is batting .292 with two RBIs in 19 games with the Orioles. He's hitting .294 in 17 games with Norfolk. Manager Buck Showalter wanted to give Hundley a day to...

The Orioles today announced that catcher Nick Hundley has reported to the club, infielder Chris Davis has been placed on the paternity list, right-hander Preston Guilmet has been recalled from Triple-A Norfolk and infielder Steve Lombardozzi has been optioned to Norfolk. Hundley, 30, was acquired Saturday from San Diego. He batted .271 (16-59) with a homer and three RBI in 33 games for the Padres. Over seven major league seasons, all with the Padres, Hundley is a career .238 hitter (392-1644)...

The Washington Nationals today optioned infielder Zach Walters to Syracuse and recalled from rehab and reinstated first baseman Adam LaRoche from the 15-Day Disabled List. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. LaRoche returns to the active roster after being placed on the 15-Day Disabled List on May 11 (retroactive to May 10) with a right quad strain. Upon being relegated to the DL, LaRoche led all qualified Nationals in batting...

Manny Machado is back in the Orioles' lineup this afternoon in the series finale between the Orioles and Indians at Camden Yards. Machado, who missed two games with a strained left groin, took batting practice and jogged around the bases. Jonathan Schoop is starting at second base, so he's not the corresponding roster move for catcher Nick Hundley. The Orioles could option Caleb Joseph on Tuesday when Chris Davis returns from paternity leave. Meanwhile, Tommy Hunter played catch in the...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter will post today's lineup after batting practice. He wants to check on third baseman Manny Machado, who's going to hit, throw and run. The club is carrying three catchers for now, with Caleb Joseph starting today. A corresponding roster move for new catcher Nick Hundley will be announced after batting practice. An infielder will most likely be optioned if Machado is able to play. Could Steve Lombardozzi return to Triple-A Norfolk? Stay tuned. Chris Davis is on...

Triple-A Syracuse right-hander Taylor Hill continues to excel. He got off to a very good start in April and has been consistent in May. The first 10 games of the season have been close to masterful for the 6-foot-3 former Vanderbilt hurler. Hill has gone 6-1 with a 1.63 ERA in 10 outings, nine of them starts. In 60 2/3 innings, Hill has surrendered only 11 runs and struck out 47 batters with just eight walks. In eight of those 10 games, he has allowed six or fewer hits. He also has given up...

Nick Hundley's trade to the Orioles is less than 24 hours old. But it sure hasn't taken him long to adjust to it, it seems. In his first interview in the O's clubhouse this morning, you could tell the catcher was very excited to join this team. "I woke up (yesterday) to a call from our GM Josh Byrnes, our former GM and I didn't know where I was going. But if there is one place I'd want to be, it would be here," he said. "When he told me I was going to Baltimore, it was really, really...