Davey Johnson has been searching for a serviceable No. 2 hitter ever since Jayson Werth needed to be moved out of that spot and then landed on the disabled list. Instead of continuing to rotate guys with paltry on-base percentages and minimal power production into the two-hole, Johnson has decided to just bump everyone up a spot. Bryce Harper will hit second tonight, marking the first time that Harper's name has been written into the No. 2 spot all season. Harper hit second in 117 of his...

Miguel Gonzalez returns to the Orioles rotation tonight for the first time since May 3 when he left after six innings and 80 pitches in Anaheim with a right thumb blister. He was activated off the disabled list today and will face a team he has had success against in the New York Yankees. In 2012, Gonzalez went 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA in two regular season starts at New York, posting wins July 30 and Aug. 31. He became the first rookie starter to beat the Yankees on their own field twice within a...

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,...