Hoping to change the Nationals' offensive mojo, Davey Johnson opted to stop shaving recently, leaving the Nats' skipper with a short gray beard. The Nats responded by putting up five runs in a win over the Phillies last night. Johnson had planned to shave after the hits and runs started coming, but his players convinced him to leave the whiskers for the time being. Johnson obliged. "My wife said I could keep it one more day," Johnson said with a smile. "I was ready for a breakout again...

With an injury to Danny Espinosa and the bench depleted, the Nationals selected the contract of second baseman Jeff Kobernus from Triple-A Syracuse Saturday, and he arrived in D.C. to see his locker adorned with home white jersey No. 26. It had been a pretty exciting 24 hours already for Kobernus, especially the moment where he got to share the news with his parents, Jeff and Margie. "Yeah, I called my dad first and then my mom," Kobernus said. "My dad, he was crying, which was kind of one...

Ross Detwiler's bullpen session this afternoon was pretty similar to the left-hander's standard mound work in between starts, except he threw a little bit harder than normal and he had a few more pairs of eyes watching him than he would under most circumstances. Reporters gazed out from the press box high atop Nationals Park this afternoon as Detwiler toed the rubber in the Nats' bullpen to get in a throwing session under the watchful eye of pitching coach Steve McCatty. There wasn't much...

For the fourth time this season, the Orioles faced a pitcher that won a Cy Young Award in 2012. They are now 4-0 in those games after producing a 6-5 win over R.A. Dickey and the Toronto Blue Jays. Dickey gave up nine hits and six runs over 6 2/3. He falls to 4-6 on the year with an ERA of 4.85, and Toronto is 4-7 in his 11 starts. In four starts against the Orioles this season, Dickey and Tampa Bay's David Price have pitched to a combined 6.20 ERA, allowing 30 hits and 17 earned runs over...

The Nationals have made it official, selecting the contract of infielder/outfielder Jeff Kobernus from Triple-A Syracuse and designating right-hander Yunesky Maya for assignment. Yes, Kobernus' position was listed on the official team press release as "infielder/outfielder". The 2009 second-round pick is a career-long infielder, but he's seen action in the outfield in 28 games for Syracuse this season. In parts of five minor-league seasons (2009-2013), Kobernus batted .286 with 77...

The Washington Nationals today selected infielder/outfielder Jeff Kobernus from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and designated right-handed pitcher Yunesky Maya for assignment. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Kobernus joins the Nationals for his first Major League assignment, after batting .333 (58-for-174) with eight doubles, two triples, one home run, 20 RBI and 13 walks in 43 games with the...

Danny Valencia has been the left-handed half of a platoon at designated hitter since the Orioles recalled him from Triple-A Norfolk. So, what's he doing in today's lineup against Toronto right-hander R.A. Dickey? Drawing a walk and hitting a home run. The splits tend to go out the window when a knuckleballer is on the mound. Manager Buck Showalter inserted Valencia in the lineup and has been rewarded. Valencia is a career .231 hitter against right-handers, compared to .318 vs. southpaws....

The Orioles today announced that they have recalled right-hander Steve Johnson from Triple-A Norfolk and placed right-hander Pedro Strop on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 24, with a lower back strain. Johnson, 25, made one start for the Orioles this season, taking the loss on May 11 at Minnesota (4.0IP, 6ER). He has gone 1-2 with a 5.49 ERA (19.2IP, 12ER) in four starts with Triple-A Norfolk. Strop, 27, is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA (17.2IP, 12ER) in 22 appearances for the Orioles...

Last night, J.J. Hardy hit a three-run homer in the first inning to give the Orioles a quick 3-0 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays. Less than 24 hours later, they scored three runs in the first inning against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey to take a 3-0 lead. Chris Davis drove in a run on a ground-rule double, giving him 15 extra-base hits in his last 15 games and 46 RBIs on the season. Hardy followed with a two-run single, giving him five RBIs in the last two games. Hardy has hit safely in 18 of...

The Orioles officially recalled pitcher Steve Johnson from Triple-A Norfolk today and placed reliever Pedro Strop on the 15-day disabled list with a lower-back strain. Strop, 27, is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA in 22 appearances for the Orioles this season, allowing 12 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings. His control has been the biggest issue. He's walked 14 batters, including two in one-third of an inning Thursday night in Toronto. Strop also served up a grand slam to Edwin Encarnacion, contributing to a...