Orioles first baseman Chris Davis was removed from tonight's game against the Royals after the bottom of the fourth injury with a strained left oblique. He will be further evaluated. Manager Buck Showalter told reporters in Toronto that Davis was bothered by some tightness in his hips, though he remained in the lineup. Davis was grimacing tonight while batting in the bottom of the third inning. He struck out and flied out against Royals starter Yordano Ventura. Ryan Flaherty has replaced...

Ubaldo Jimenez probably can't wait for the calendar to flip over to May. Jimenez is off to a slow start tonight against the Royals, allowing two runs and throwing 26 pitches in the top of the first inning. The Royals put a runner on third base with no outs in the second on Alcides Escobar's single and stolen base, and Matt Wieters' throwing error, but Jimenez struck out the next two batters and retired Omar Infante on a fly ball. After two innings, Jimemez has thrown 47 pitches, including...

The Nationals had 16 chances with runners in scoring position Thursday in the opening game against the Padres and failed each time. On Friday, the Nationals got base hits on their first two RISP opportunities to provide Stephen Strasburg an early cushion against his hometown team. After a 57-minute rain delay, Strasburg allowed a single by Everth Cabrera to lead off the game. But the right-hander then induced a double play and a fly out to keep San Diego off the board in the top of the...

Low Single-A Hagerstown second baseman Wilmer Difo continues to prove he can hit and get on base. Through 20 games, the 6-foot ,175-lb. Dominican switch-hitter is hitting .315. In 89 at-bats, Difo has 28 hits, 12 runs, seven doubles, two triples, nine stolen bases (caught stealing once) and 15 RBIs. Difo has a .351 on-base percentage for the Suns. Through Thursday, Difo had five multi-hit efforts in his last nine games. Difo has hit in the clutch, as well, batting .390 with runners on base and...

Nationals manager Matt Williams had an update on catcher Wilson Ramos, who has been on the 15-day disabled list since opening day with a left hamate bone fracture. "Took early BP today, looks good," Williams said. "At this point, it is pain tolerance. Structurally, everything is really good. The bone is removed. The scar is healing. It is not just a skin scar, either - they go in there. There is constant work being done on that. "You loosen it up and then it mats down again overnight...

First pitch at Camden Yards is scheduled for 7:55 p.m. Over in Frederick, Manny Machado will serve as the designated hitter tonight, just as Orioles manager Buck Showalter suggested would happen. Nelson Cruz has registered at least one RBI in seven consecutive games. The last Oriole with a streak of eight straight games was shortstop J.J. Hardy on Aug. 2-12, 2011. Ryan Flaherty had a crowd of reporters around his locker this afternoon after Major League Baseball announced a change to the...

FREDERICK, Md. - Tonight's game here at Harry Grove Stadium between the Single-A Frederick Keys and Myrtle Beach Pelicans is now set for an 8 p.m. first pitch. Manny Machado is playing in his first rehab game tonight. He was slated to bat second and play third base. Due to the heavy rain from earlier and with a still somewhat damp field, Machado will now DH and not play the field tonight. He will still bat second, but as the DH. Jason Esposito, who was the DH, will now start at third...

FREDERICK, Md. - As the rain continues to fall steadily, it's looking more and more like Manny Machado's first rehab game with the Single-A Frederick Keys may have to wait another day. As of this hour, the tarp is still on the field, but the game has not yet been postponed. Machado took some ground balls at third base around 3 p.m. before the rains hit and can still handle himself at a press conference. He just held one with reporters here in one of the Keys' second-level suites at Harry...

It's raining hard in Frederick, where Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is supposed to start his injury rehab assignment. Manager Buck Showalter indicated that Machado could serve as the designated hitter tonight instead of playing in the field if the game isn't postponed. Machado would play third base on Saturday. A simple tweaking of his schedule. The Orioles are taking batting practice, but they anticipate rain tonight which could interrupt the game. In the event of a postponement,...

FREDERICK, Md. - While rain continues to fall and the tarp is on the field here a at Single-A Frederick's Harry Grove Stadium, tonight's game is still on as of around 4 p.m. Manny Machado is scheduled to play for the Keys tonight to begin his rehab assignment. The rain started here around 3 p.m. just as Machado was taking some ground balls at third base before batting practice, which was later canceled. It appears that the gates will open at 6 p.m. on schedule and that any decision on a...