With Brian Roberts now on the disabled list, Ryan Flaherty is starting at second base tonight and batting eighth after also getting the start yesterday against Minnesota. "Any time you get a chance to play, it's exciting," Flaherty said. "Just to come out and try to help this team do what it's been doing the first few games, help this team win." Flaherty is usually a man of few words, but today he had more than a few when he was asked his reaction to Roberts suffering a ruptured tendon...

The Orioles officially removed infielder Yamaico Navarro from the 25-man roster today by optioning him to Triple-A Norfolk. The move allowed the Orioles to activate pitcher Chris Tillman from the 15-day disabled list and hand him the ball tonight. Navarro was hoping to catch a flight back to Norfolk and play in the second game of the Tides' doubleheader. The Orioles will go with a three-man bench, preferring to keep the extra bullpen arm as they prepare for next week's road trip to Boston...

It had been a pretty rough afternoon for Ian Desmond. The Nationals shortstop committed two errors in today's game against the Reds, both of which led to unearned runs. Desmond had gone 0-for-4 with a strikeout in his first four trips to the plate. He and the rest of the Nats watched as a 5-1 lead became a 5-5 tie. But Desmond redeemed himself for his early-season struggles with a clutch solo home run that was crushed into the upper deck in left, breaking an 11th-inning tie and giving the...

The Orioles today announced that they have reinstated right-hander Chris Tillman from the 15-day disabled list and optioned infielder Yamaico Navarro to Triple-A Norfolk. Tillman, 24, was placed on the DL on March 28, retroactive to March 22, with a left abdominal strain. Navarro, 25, was recalled yesterday but did not play. He was acquired from Pittsburgh on November 30, 2012 in exchange for minor league right-hander...

Chris Tillman will start for the Orioles tonight in their 7:05 p.m. game against the Twins at Camden Yards. Still no word on the corresponding roster move that will restore Tillman to the 25-man roster. While we wait for that move, here's the Orioles lineup: Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty 2B Nolan Reimold DH Chris Tillman RHP Update: Yamaico Navarro just walked into manager Buck Showalter's office...

Prior to today, the last time Wilson Ramos was on the field at the Great American Ballpark, he wasn't able to walk off under his own power. Ramos tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee last May 12 in a game against the Reds, a devastating injury that knocked the Nationals' young catcher out of action for the remainder of the season and led to months of grueling rehab. Now fully healthy, Ramos has replaced that nasty memory with a much more positive one. Ramos crushed a two-run homer...

The Nationals left the bases loaded in the second. No matter. Bryce Harper got them on the board an inning later. Harper crushed the first pitch from Reds right-hander Mike Leake, an 87 mph cutter on the inner half, out to right for a two-run homer. The ball got out of the Great American Ballpark in the blink of an eye. It's Harper's third home run of the season. He's accounted for 60 percent of the Nationals' longballs so far this season. The Nats now have a 2-0 lead midway through...

Orioles minor league pitcher Daniel McCutchen, who gained attention this spring for an adjustment to his delivery, has been suspended 50 games without pay for his violation of the Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. According to a press release from Major League Baseball, McCutchen tested positive for performance-enhancing substances Methenolone and a metabolite of Trenbolone. His suspension is effective immediately. McCutchen, who is currently on the roster of Triple-A Norfolk, allowed...

The Double-A Bowie Baysox had quite a night of offense Friday at Harrisburg. The Baysox recorded 20 hits in a 15-7 win over Harrisburg to improve to 1-1. Lew Ford is 4-for-9 through two games with three doubles and a homer. He has an OPS of 1.556. After going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in the season opener, Xavier Avery went 5-for-7 with two RBIs to tie the club record for hits in a game. Earlier this week I posted this story on Avery. The Baysox already have 12 doubles, which is twice as...

Steve Johnson threw 35 pitches yesterday in a bullpen session in Sarasota without any discomfort related to his strained right latissimus dorsi muscle. Johnson, on the 15-day disabled list, will pitch live batting practice on Monday. Assuming the session goes well, he could begin an injury-rehab assignment with one of the Orioles' minor league affiliates. The Orioles are hoping that he will be ready to pitch in real games within the next week to 10 days. Johnson is on the major league...