Steve Tolleson has had a few interesting and active days recently. Sunday: Hits a game-tying, three-run homer against Cliff Lee in an extra-innings win over the Phillies. Monday: Finds out he is being optioned back to Triple-A Norfolk by the Orioles. Wednesday: Drives with his wife and young daughter from Baltimore to Norfolk, arriving there at 4 p.m. and then they unpacked their bags. Today: Gets called to come back to the Orioles, pack the bags again and drive back to Baltimore as he...

Whether he plays in the field or starts as the designated hitter, Chris Davis has been doing some major damage at bat recently for the Orioles. He is 9-for-24 with three homers and eight RBIs during a six-game batting streak. Over a longer stretch, his past 21 games, he is batting .350 with seven homers and 16 RBIs. Davis' last 10 starts have come as the DH and he hasn't started at first base since May 28. He says manager Buck Showalter has not given him a reason for that. "He hasn't,"...

Reliever Matt Lindstrom, on the disabled list since May 11 with a slightly torn ligament in his right middle finger, played catch from 60 to 100 feet today at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. He's scheduled to throw batting practice on Saturday and pitch in at least two Gulf Coast League games. He also could report to Double-A Bowie before finally being activated. The Orioles are hopeful that he returns before the All-Star break that begins July 9. Joel Pineiro (shoulder) threw four innings...

Left-hander Matt Purke was placed on the seven-day disabled list prior to Wednesday's game due to shoulder stiffness, according to a club source. The Hagerstown southpaw has made three starts, going 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA. He has struck out 14 and walked 12, surrendering one homer. The Nationals' No. 2 prospect spent the first two months of the season in extended spring training, working to build strength and lengthen out his innings following shoulder inflammation. Purke told me last week...

The Orioles today announced that they have placed OF Endy Chavez on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring, retroactive to June 13, and recalled INF Steve Tolleson from Triple-A Norfolk. Tolleson has batted .237/.275/.447 in 12 games for the Orioles this season. Chavez has batted .171/.202/.219 in 32 games for the Orioles this season. He was previously on the disabled list from May 9-29 with a strained left oblique.

The Orioles have recalled Steve Tolleson from Triple-A Norfolk and he's starting in left field tonight. Endy Chavez goes on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. "It's disappointing, but what can I say?" Chavez said. "I feel pretty close, but I understand the situation with the team right now. They had to make a move, but it's not fun. It's disappointing. Hopefully, I'll get healthy pretty soon. Chavez injured his hamstring running to first base Tuesday night. He went on...

The view from mile post No. 61 is pretty significant for the Washington Nationals. Without the jinx police knocking on my keyboard door, here is the rundown of some powerful team statistics as to where the 38-23 Nationals stand heading into Friday's clash with the equally red-hot New York Yankees at Nationals Park. Both teams arrive with six-game winning streaks, the best in the majors. DAYDREAM ALERT: (Of course, pennants are not won on June 14, it has happened to the Nationals once before...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter doesn't have a set lineup, in part because of his roster's flexibility and in part because each day brings another injury that forces him to make adjustments on the fly. If any sort of pattern is developing, it involves first base and designated hitter, where Showalter is using Mark Reynolds and Chris Davis, respectively, when they're both in the lineup. Showalter believes that Davis is more comfortable at DH than Reynolds, and both players are swinging hot...

The Orioles' scouting staff and scouting director Gary Rajsich have been very busy lately. Not only did the club draft 40 players last week but the team has already come to contract terms with over 20 players, MASNsports.com has learned. The team has only officially announced the signings of six players but that is just because they wait until the contracts have been approved by Major League Baseball to officially announce the names. Many more have agreed and it's just a matter of time until...

Of the four rookies on the Nationals roster, one is getting enough attention and media coverage to make your head spin. You have an idea which one I'm referring to? I know, that's a clown question, bro. If you get into a conversation about the Nats these days, Bryce Harper is almost certainly the first name to come up. He finds his way into every Nationals highlight, dominates the social media landscape and is a hot topic among those who aren't even fans of the team that currently leads...