Catcher Wilson Ramos reappeared in the Nationals clubhouse Tuesday afternoon, fresh off his minor league rehabilitation assignment and bent on showing manager Matt Williams that he was ready to be activated from the 15-day disabled list after surgery to remove a broken hamate bone from his left hand. Ramos thinks he'll be ready to go tomorrow, when the Nats close out their three-home game homestand against the Dodgers. "I think so," he said. "I think that's the plan for now. I don't need...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Left-hander T.J. McFarland sat at his locker this afternoon at Tropicana Field, chatting with teammates Zach Britton and Brad Brach while waiting to find out whether the Orioles were placing him on the 25-man roster. The Orioles are expected to officially recall McFarland, but it may not happen until the conclusion of batting practice. Manager Buck Showalter wants to make sure that everyone is healthy. Stay tuned. The Orioles could have four left-handers in their...

Although Matt Williams has more than a month of managing the Nationals under his belt, he's still the new guy in town. Fans have gotten a cursory view of Williams, but there is still so much to learn about the skipper. Maybe you want to know how Williams grades himself over his first month of managing. Are you curious about his pregame rituals or what he does when he's not at the park? Well, it's time to have your questions answered! Before each homestand, you'll have the opportunity to...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Left-hander T.J. McFarland is in the Orioles clubhouse at Tropicana Field. No roster move has been announced, but no relievers are listed on the lineup card, so it looks like one will be removed to make space. Matt Wieters is at designated hitter and Steve Clevenger is behind the plate for tonight's series opener at Tropicana Field with Chris Tillman on the mound against Chris Archer. Also, Chris Davis is in St. Petersburg, and played catch and simulated fielding...

Scott Hairston is in the Nationals lineup tonight, making his first start since coming off the 15-day disabled list yesterday after missing time with a strained left oblique. He will bat fifth and play left field. Right-hander Blake Treinen will make his first start for the Nationals tonight, opposing Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner. Here's the Nationals lineup: CF Denard Span3B Anthony RendonRF Jayson Werth1B Adam LaRocheLF Scott HairstonSS...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A group of Orioles are taking early batting practice under the lights at Tropicana Field, including Jonathan Schoop, J.J. Hardy, Manny Machado, David Lough, Ryan Flaherty, Steve Pearce, Steve Clevenger and Jemile Weeks. Other players are hitting inside the cage in the tunnel that leads to the dugout. The sun is shining and it's hot outside, but they're preparing for indoor baseball. Schoop has three hits in his last 22 at-bats, and four in his last 26. Hardy hasn't...

The Orioles offense has not gotten up to speed yet, that is pretty clear to see. The Orioles scored just six runs on 24 hits and went 2-for-22 with runners in scoring position at Minnesota. Right now, the Orioles rank third in the American League in team batting average, but 11th in on-base percentage, 12th in runs and last in walks. The O's have drawn 66 walks and the AL average for a team right now is 106. You could have figured the O's would not rate highly in some of these categories...

Left-hander Sammy Solis threw four innings Monday in Florida and the club's offseason facility and everything looked good, according to a team source. Solis' velocity is there. He is playing extended spring training games against teams from the Braves, Astros and Tigers. Solis had a minor back strain right before end of spring training which set him back. Update: A Nats source confirms that Solis will likely headed north, presumably to Double-A Harrisburg in the next week. Harrisburg...

Major League Baseball this week announced the 31 winners of the 2014 Honorary Bat Girl Contest, which recognizes baseball fans who have been affected by breast cancer and demonstrate a commitment to eradicating the disease. Annie Arensdorf of Ashburn, Va., has been named the winner for the Washington Nationals, and she will be recognized on the field before the team plays the New York Mets on Friday, May 16. In addition to participating in the lineup delivery as part of the pregame ceremony,...

On a team that has sputtered defensively to start the 2014 season, Nationals center fielder Denard Span is a playmaking oasis in a desert of bad hops, errant throws and generally poor defensive showings. Currently leading the team in the defensive statistics ultimate zone rating and defensive runs saved, Span has few peers in the outfield or across baseball in general when it comes to his skills with the glove. With the bat, however, the reviews aren't as glowing for Span, especially this...