The Nationals got some news today that is both surprising and in some ways not unexpected: Danny Espinosa has been playing with a broken right wrist for more than five weeks. Espinosa initially injured the wrist on April 14, when he was drilled on the right wrist by a pitch from Atlanta's Paul Maholm. After initial X-rays on the wrist came back negative, Espinosa was diagnosed with a sore wrist, and he was held out of the Nats lineup for the next four games in an attempt to get the second...

Right fielder Steven Souza Jr., returned to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators lineup Friday. It will be his first game since April 13. He has been recovering from a shoulder injury. Souza was batting an impressive .370 in his first nine games, with two doubles, two homers and four RBIs. He has a 1.194 OPS and a .528 on-base percentage. Third baseman Anthony Rendon was out of the lineup to have his wisdom teeth pulled, according to the tweet below from Geoff Morrow of The Patriot-News and...

Steve Johnson won't make tonight's start for Triple-A Norfolk, but it isn't a health-related decision by the Orioles. According to a member of the organization, Johnson is being kept available in case the Orioles need to recall him Saturday as an extra reliever. Tonight's game in Toronto may dictate whether a roster move is forthcoming. Left-hander Chris Jones, acquired from the Braves for reliever Luis Ayala, is starting tonight for Norfolk. Johnson made one start with the Orioles this...

Manager Davey Johnson said he will make a decision on the status of left-hander Ross Detwiler for Tuesday's start depending on how his bullpen session goes on Saturday. Johnson said Detwiler, who missed his last start with a slight oblique strain, was a little tight but was all right following his most recent throwing session. "I think the big time is how he does in his pen tomorrow," Johnson said. "Everything so far has gone according to plan. He threw yesterday and didn't have any...

The Orioles have somewhat quietly put together a real nice run on offense. They rank third in the American League and also third in MLB with 232 runs scored. Over the last 12 games, that offense has been humming real well with a team average of .302 and 62 runs scored with 33 doubles, three triples and 21 homers. The Orioles averaged 3.2 extra-base hits a game during the season's first 35 games and that number is 4.8 over these last dozen games. The downside is all those hits and runs have...

Adam Jones is back in center field tonight for the Orioles after serving as the designated hitter for three consecutive games. Danny Valencia is the DH against the Toronto Blue Jays, and Yamaico Navarro gets the start at second base. Shortstop J.J. Hardy is batting third. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C Danny Valencia DH Steve Pearce LF Yamaico Navarro 2B Chris Tillman RHP For the Jays: Melky Cabrera LF Jose...

Steve Lombardozzi is playing second and hitting eighth for the Nationals today in their series opener against the Phillies, as Danny Espinosa gets a day off. Kurt Suzuki, who normally hits eighth for the Nats, has been bumped up to the No. 6 spot in the order, with the struggling Tyler Moore hitting seventh. The Nats will face right-hander Kyle Kendrick today, he of the 4-2 record and 2.82 ERA. Jordan Zimmermann gets the start for the Nats, looking to improve upon his 7-2 mark and 1.62 ERA...

The numbers tell the story and it is an impressive change for the better for the Orioles. Last season they stole 58 bases all year to rank last in the American League. This season they have 37 stolen bases and that ranks first in the AL. At this pace the Orioles would steal 127 bases to more than double last year's total. They are also stealing at an impressive percentage. Last year not only did they not steal many bases, but the team stolen base percentage of 67 percent tied for last in the...

The Orioles just tweeted an interesting fact regarding third baseman Manny Machado, who continues to swing a hot bat away from Camden Yards. Not that it's been ice cold at home, but check this out: Machado has three hits in each of his last four road games. According to Elias, the only other player younger than 21 with a streak of four or more consecutive road games with at least three hits was Ty Cobb, who had five straight road games with at least three hits from Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 1907....

Nothing against Jordan Zimmermann's stats away from Nationals Park, but the starter from Auburndale, Wis., has been even more impressive in his adopted home in the nation's capital so far in 2013. The Nationals right-hander, who turned 27 yesterday, is 3-2 with a 1.91 ERA, four walks (0.96 BB/9) and 29 Ks (6.93 K/9) in five starts and 37 2/3 innings pitched away from the nation's capital early this season. Opponents have a .193/.225/.281 line against Zimmermann in his road starts. In D.C.,...