Ryan Flaherty is back in the Orioles lineup today, playing third base and looking for his first hit of the 2014 season. David Lough is leading off and Nick Markakis is batting second. For the Orioles David Lough LF Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz DH Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty 3B Steve Lombardozzi 2B Chris Tillman RHP For the Tigers Ian Kinsler 2B Torii Hunter RF Miguel Cabrera DH Victor Martinez 1B Austin Jackson CF Tyler Collins LF Nick...

Despite the fact that the Nationals picked up a sweep of the Mets on the road earlier this week, it sure hasn't been the smoothest start to the season for Matt Williams' ballclub. Doug Fister is on the disabled list with a strained right lat, and while he's slowly progressing, the right-hander is still a ways away from sliding back into the Nats rotation. Wilson Ramos played just seven innings on opening day before fracturing the hamate bone in his left hand, and the Nats will be without...

Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper's frustrations early this season at the plate reached a boiling point after striking out to lead off the eighth inning of a 6-2 Braves win Saturday night. One video replay appeared to show him throwing his batting helmet as he walked down the steps into the dugout and then toward the clubhouse after the strikeout. On Saturday, he went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts, dropping his average to .143. "I feel terrible, plain and simple," Harper said, still...

Ryan Zimmerman left tonight's 6-2 loss to the Braves with right shoulder soreness, manager Matt Williams said after the game. Zimmerman was pulled from the game after the fifth inning, with Danny Espinosa replacing him in the fifth spot in the batting order and Anthony Rendon moving over to play third base. Zimmerman has dealt with shoulder issues in recent seasons, and of late, he's been struggling with his throws across the diamond during pregame warmups. Williams said that it was one...

If you're unable to watch today's game in its entirety, be sure to check out the first and ninth innings. That's usually when the Orioles do their scoring. That is, if they're able to push across some runs against Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander. I'm told he's pretty good. Verlander is 8-1 with a 3.26 ERA in 11 career starts against the Orioles. It's tough to find anyone on the roster who's had sustained success against him. J.J. Hardy is only 8-for-31, but he's hit three home...

After five games last season, the Orioles had a 3-2 record. Fans would take that about right now after the team fell to 1-4 with Saturday's loss to Detroit. The one thing to keep in mind is that the O's have played just three percent of their season. Three percent. Yes they need to pitch better and the bats need to get going. Maybe we saw the beginnings of that in the ninth inning on Saturday. As I wrote yesterday, their start so far, while frustrating to the fans, is not too damaging....

As the Nationals and Braves tangle in the second game of their initial three-game set of 2014 on Saturday night in Washington, D.C., right-hander Stephen Strasburg is facing Braves right-hander Julio Teheran. The Nationals opened the scoring with a two-run homer by Adam LaRoche in the first inning. The mammoth shot by LaRoche came on a 2-2 pitch off of Teheran and reached the upper deck down the right field line, landing in what appeared to be the first row above the Jackie Robinson No. 42 sign...

Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper is scuffling just a bit to begin the season. Manager Matt Williams is not worried about Harper, saying his 21-year-old left fielder has seemed just a "tick off" at the plate the last few days. Williams said Harper might be bit frustrated with the slow start at the plate, as he's just 3-for-17 (.176) with no homers and no RBIs in four games. But that does not mean he tosses his whole approach out and reconstructs his swing. It is only April 5. "Everybody...

This afternoon, manager Matt Williams said right-hander Doug Fister is doing well in his rehabilitation from a right lat strain. Fister has been on the disabled list since March 23. Williams said Fister did "heavy exercise" today and felt no issues with the lat. The Nationals manager expects Fister to get back to baseball-related activities as early as Sunday. "We look to get him out there throwing, the plan is tomorrow, depending on how he feels, but in the next couple of days, anyway, so...

A blowout loss turned into a one-run defeat today, when the Orioles produced a stunning rally in the ninth inning, but it fell short. The O's, down 7-1 entering the ninth, scored five times to pull within one, but lost 7-6 to Detroit to fall to 1-4 with four straight losses. A Chris Davis single off Phil Coke was followed by an Adam Jones triple and Nick Markakis' RBI groundout to start the ninth, cutting the deficit to 7-3. A J.J Hardy walk and singles by Matt Wieters and Steve Lombardozzi...