The Washington Nationals today placed right-handed pitcher Ryan Mattheus on the 15-Day DL, retroactive to May 20, with a fractured right hand, optioned outfielder Eury Perez to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League, recalled right-handed pitcher Yunesky Maya from Syracuse and selected left-handed pitcher Fernando Abad from Syracuse. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Abad, 27, joins the Nationals after...

Adam Jones is serving as the Orioles' designated hitter tonight, with Chris Dickerson starting in center field for the second time this season. Jones' right leg was sore last night, but he could have played center tonight. That's his preference, but manager Buck Showalter took the more cautious route. "He felt some soreness last night late in the game," Showalter said. "He feels good today. He's mad - well, not mad - but he wants to play center field, but I'll wear it. Just don't...

Here is a surprising stat: The Orioles now lead the American League in stolen bases with 34. Last season, they ranked last in the AL with 58. At this pace, the Orioles would steal 125 bases this season. While no one is confusing him with Ricky Henderson out there, Adam Jones has stolen three bases in the last two games and is now 8-for-8 on the year in stolen base attempts after going 16-for-23 last year. After stealing just one base in April, Jones is now 7-for-7 in 17 games this...

The Nationals will have two new faces in their bullpen tonight when they take on the Giants in game two of this three-game set in San Francisco. Well, one of the faces will be new. To those who have followed the Nats for a few years now, the other should be familiar. Right-hander Yunesky Maya and left-hander Fernando Abad will be activated by the Nats prior to tonight's game out west. Maya, who signed a four-year, $6 million deal with the Nats in 2010, has appeared in 15 games (10 starts)...

How could there not be some tension in any big league team's clubhouse after a stretch of six straight losses that has featured three straight blown saves by All-Star closer Jim Johnson? But if the Orioles are feeling any extra pressure right now, they are not showing it and they are certainly talking like that is not the case. Adam Jones addressed that topic this afternoon. "People are going to point fingers, but we win and lose as a team," Jones said when asked specifically about...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter named Jake Arrieta and T.J. McFarland as the primary candidates to start Thursday night against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. It's an interesting and complicated decision. Arrieta hasn't pitched since May 7 at Triple-A Norfolk, and he missed his last scheduled start because of a strained right shoulder. He's been throwing in the bullpen and is fine physically. Arrieta is 1-2 with a 7.31 ERA in three starts in Toronto, with 14 runs (13 earned) and...

Miguel Gonzalez is back from the disabled list, and Jair Jurrjens is one and done - for now. The Orioles announced this afternoon that they have reinstated Gonzalez, who had been dealing with a blister on his right thumb, from the 15-day DL. To clear a spot on the 25-man roster, Jurrjens was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Gonzalez will start tonight against the Yankees, against whom he is 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA in three regular season starts. Jurrjens pitched Saturday, starting against the Rays...

The Orioles today announced that they have reinstated right-hander Miguel Gonzalez from the 15-day disabled list and optioned right-hander Jair Jurrjens to Triple-A Norfolk. Gonzalez, 28, was placed on the DL on May 9, retroactive to May 4, with a right thumb blister. He is 2-2 with a 4.58 ERA (35.1IP, 18ER) in six starts this season and will make tonight's start against New York. Jurrjens, 27, did not receive a decision in his only start for the Birds on May 18 vs. Tampa Bay (5.0IP, 6H,...

Yamaico Navarro is back at second base as the Orioles face the Yankees in the middle game of their three-game set. Chris Dickerson will play center field tonight, with Adam Jones serving as the designated hitter. For the Yankees Brett Gardner CF Robinson Cano 2B Vernon Wells LF Travis Hafner DH Lyle Overbay 1B Curtis Granderson RF David Adams 3B Jayson Nix SS Austin Romine C Phil Hughes RHP For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones DH CHris Davis 1B Matt...

One concern some fans have expressed here is that if Orioles starters continue to struggle to get deep into games, it will eventually have an impact on a bullpen that will have to pitch more innings. Manager Buck Showalter has discounted the notion that the O's bullpen is having to throw too many innings a couple of times during recent days and he feels that is not an issue yet. It certainly may not be, but the bullpen, and not just Jim Johnson, has struggled in recent games. The bullpen...