NEW YORK - Making his third major league start, Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler retired the Nationals in order in dominating fashion in the first inning, striking out two. Things went a little differently in the second. The Nats scored four runs on Wheeler in the second inning, putting five runners on base, three via extra-base hits. Adam LaRoche demolished the first pitch Wheeler threw in the inning, turning around a 95 mph heater and sending it off the railing of the second deck in right....

The Orioles made another minor league trade today, sending infielder Ty Kelly to the Mariners for outfielder Eric Thames. Thames has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, but he will report to Sarasota while rehabbing a non-displaced fracture of the second metacarpal of his left hand, suffered when he was spiked in a collision with an infielder on June 15 with Tacoma. He's expected to be cleared for baseball activities within the next 10 days. Thames, 26, has appeared in 181 major league games...

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired OF ERIC THAMES from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor league INF TY KELLY, and have optioned Thames to Triple-A Norfolk. Thames, 26, has appeared in 181 major league games for the Blue Jays and Mariners, batting .250/.296/.431 with 21 home runs and 62 RBI. In 57 games with Triple-A Tacoma in 2013, Thames (pronounced THAY-mes) batted .295/.382/.479 with seven home runs and 33 RBI. Thames is currently on the disabled list with a...

NEW YORK - The stiffness that Ross Detwiler felt in the left side of his lower back following his start Friday is all but gone, manager Davey Johnson said today. Johnson reported that Detwiler felt much better today than he did yesterday, and the left-hander thinks he'll be able to make his scheduled start Wednesday against the Brewers. Detwiler played catch in the outfield at Citi Field just a few minutes ago and seemed to be throwing at full force. He'll throw a side session tomorrow, and...

NEW YORK - If the Nationals were putting up six runs a game to go along with their strong pitching, their defensive woes this season would be easier to stomach. After all, if you have double-digit run totals on the board a couple of times a week or are in the process of coasting to another victory, it's easier to put up with a defensive miscue here and there that extends an inning or allows a relatively harmless unearned run to come across. Unfortunately for the Nats, that's not...

Even though he doesn't have even a full year's worth of service time yet and has played just 133 career games with the club, ESPN's Buster Olney said the time is now for the Orioles to sign Manny Machado to a long-term, megabucks contract. "That is going to be kind of a turning point in the franchise's history because he clearly is that kind of player," Olney said this week in an interview with MASNsports.com. A former O's beat writer for The Baltimore Sun, Olney and the ESPN broadcast...

Tonight marks the first "ESPN Sunday Night Baseball" game at Camden Yards since July 31, 2005. It seems like only yesterday. A week, tops. Maybe what happened to the Orioles explains why the network stayed away for so long. Rodrigo Lopez lasted only 1 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs and seven hits, walking three batters and hitting one. The Orioles lost to the White Sox 9-4. Who started for the White Sox? Well, that would be Freddy Garcia, who gave up four runs and 10 hits over seven...

It was just another night at the ballpark for Chris Davis. A couple of home runs, five RBIs, more records to approach. Davis has 54 extra-base hits in 82 games and is on pace for 106, which would break Brady Anderson's club record of 92 set in 1996. His 30 homers tie Anderson for the most by an Oriole before the All-Star break and are the most in franchise history by the end of June. According to Elias, Davis tied Albert Pujols for the most home runs by the end of June since 2001, when...

Are there any superlatives left to heap upon Orioles first baseman Chris Davis? Manager Buck Showalter won't even try. He'll just appreciate the return. "I'll let you all do it. You're better at it than I am," Showalter said following tonight's 11-3 win over the Yankees. "Chris knows what we think of him and how proud we are of the year he's having. I think you see a good example of the difference. Yesterday, I think he had three strikeouts. Today, he comes back and puts it behind...

BOWIE, Md. - Left fielder Bryce Harper is anxious. That is the best sign of all that the knee is not bothering him and he is ready to get back with his teammates. On Saturday, he played nine innings for Double-A Harrisburg in what is likely his final rehab game before returning to the Nationals. Harper has been recovering from left knee bursitis since late May. On Saturday night, he faced off against Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, also on a rehab assignment. Harper went 0-for-3 with a...