It is only 11 at-bats, but in that small sample, the Orioles’ Ramón Urías is batting .455 with a slugging percentage of .909 against Yankees’ right-hander Gerrit Cole. Cole (9-2, 2.78 ERA) will face the Orioles tonight for the second time this year and for the 12th time in his career. On May 23 of this season he had one of his worst starts of the y

During an interview session with media this afternoon that lasted almost 27 minutes, Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias confirmed that pitching is the top priority at the trade deadline. Elias said that if a deal is made, bet heavily on it being on “the pitching side.” Whether it’s depth or an upgrade. Middle relief is view

NEW YORK – This isn’t the first time the Nationals have faced Max Scherzer since trading him away two years ago. This is actually the fifth time they’ll face their former ace, the second time this season. And Scherzer has done quite well against them, going 3-0 with a 2.78 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings. But this may not be the same Scherz

The Orioles are back home and in the division, beginning a three-game series tonight against the Yankees. This is the first time in Orioles’ history that they’ve been in first place in July or later while facing a last-place Yankees team. Gunnar Henderson has returned to the lineup tonight, leading off and playing shortstop. He missed Wednesday’s g

With the trade deadline set for next Tuesday, the Orioles are no doubt checking in on the pitching market. For what it is worth, the pitching staff may be in better shape than some think and yet as they say, you can never have enough pitching. But for a team that plays .750 ball this year when it gets a quality start, it has been happening with muc

NEW YORK – It was easy to focus on the manner in which the Nationals lost Thursday night’s game to the Mets, 2-1. Both runs allowed came off the bullpen, which had to adjust on the fly after a sudden downpour halted play with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning before Kyle Finnegan could throw his first pitch. Davey Martinez, though

Austin Voth’s injury rehab assignment moved to Triple-A Norfolk yesterday, his third affiliate on the road to a return from elbow soreness that’s plagued him at various times since spring training. Updates on three other relievers – Mychal Givens, Dillon Tate and Keegan Akin – have been scarce at best. But Voth could be close to reinstatement unles

NEW YORK – Kyle Finnegan trotted in from the bullpen, took the ball from Davey Martinez and began warming up for what was about to be the biggest moment of the night. The bases were loaded with one out in the bottom of the eighth, the Nationals and Mets were tied and Finnegan was going to have to try to pitch his way out of this jam and send the ga

NEW YORK – Two key Nationals relievers are ready to start facing live hitters in game-like situations. The club is motivated to get one of them off the injured list as soon as possible, not as much with the other. Carl Edwards Jr. and Tanner Rainey are both scheduled to face hitters in a simulated game Friday in West Palm Beach, Fla., the first tim

NEW YORK – The Nationals just completed their best homestand of the season. They’ve won nine of their last 14 overall. Now they’ll see if they can keep it up on the road against a Mets team that desperately needs to turn things on, lest they actually become sellers at next week’s trade deadline. Yeah, the situation is that dire here in Flushing, wh