Orioles outfielder Nolan Reimold has a second epidural injection scheduled for Friday, and he told me earlier this afternoon that he'll probably get it done. Reimold had his first injection on May 11. He underwent a follow-up exam yesterday from specialist Dr. Lee Riley, which led to Friday's appointment. Reimold, who hasn't played since April 30 because of a herniated disk in his cervical spine, believes that the shot will only alleviate the pain. He isn't sure that it will eliminate the...

PHILADELPHIA - For the second straight day, Steve Lombardozzi will start in left field for the Nationals and will hit out of the leadoff spot. Danny Espinosa again will hit in the six-hole and play second. Jordan Zimmermann gets the ball for the Nats tonight. The righty is 2-4 this season with a 2.58 ERA. This will be the second time Zimmermann has faced the Phils in a span of four starts. He got the loss back on May 6, allowing three runs on seven hits and four walks over six innings. In...

Robert Andino has moved back up to the leadoff spot tonight. Steve Tolleson gets another start at third base for the Orioles. For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Wilson Betemit 1B Chris Davis DH Steve Tolleson 3B Xavier Avery LF Brian Matusz LHP Down on the farm, Jason Berken allowed three runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings for Triple-A Norfolk, with one walk, six strikeouts, one wild pitch and one hit batter. He threw 93...

The Washington Nationals today returned from rehab and reinstated right-handed pitcher Chien-Ming Wang from the 15-Day Disabled List and placed right-handed pitcher Ryan Mattheus on the 15-Day Disabled List, retroactive to May 21, with a plantar fascia strain (left foot). Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Wang missed the Nationals' first 42 games, after suffering a strained left hamstring during his final Spring...

PHILADELPHIA - After a lengthy rehab process, Chien-Ming Wang has made it back to the majors. The Nationals have activated Wang off the disabled list and placed reliever Ryan Mattheus on the 15-day DL, retroactive to May 21, with a plantar fascia strain in his left foot. Wang will slide into the bullpen and serve as a long reliever. The right-hander will work on a starter's schedule, which will allow him to stay stretched out and eventually move to the rotation if a starter gets injured or...

With another extremely uncomfortable ninth-inning save opportunity almost thrown away, the Nationals and manager Davey Johnson need to make a decision. Johnson told the media he would sleep on what happened to reliever Henry Rodriguez on Monday in Philadelphia. Without the literal save by Sean Burnett, Rodriguez was on the rocky road to his fourth blown save of the season. It is obvious Rodriguez has the swing-and-miss stuff one covets in a closer, firing fastballs regularly at 101 mph. But...

PHILADELPHIA - Now that Davey Johnson is at the very least considering other options when it comes to the closer's role, it's probably worthwhile for us to take a look at the guys the Nationals' skipper has to work with. Henry Rodriguez's struggles have caused Johnson to look for alternatives in save situations, and while the Nationals don't have an obvious backup plan at this point, they do have some hurlers who Johnson could look to in the ninth inning. Johnson has indicated he might...

The big development at Camden Yards yesterday really took place before the game, when Brian Roberts spoke for more than seven minutes with reporters about his impending return to the diamond. Roberts has not played for the Orioles since May 16, 2011, but said yesterday that he should be able to begin a minor league rehab assignment very soon. The exact date has not been set, but it now could be days or weeks away - and not months down the road. Here are some audio clips from that interview...

Given the debut strategy taken with Stephen Strasburg in 2010, not many people thought going into this year that 19-year-old Bryce Harper would end playing at least 100 games in 2012. Now, barring injury, it seems almost a lock that the club's starting outfielder will surpass that mark, making him just the 18th player in Major League Baseball history to play 100 or more games as a teenager. Among those 18 players, Harper is currently on pace to have one of the best seasons ever. Below I've...

If you missed it over the weekend, the Single-A Frederick Keys had a weekend of stunning starting pitching. Three Orioles 2011 draft picks in Mike Wright (round 3), Kyle Simon (round 4) and Trent Howard (round 7) combined to pitch 18 innings without allowing a run on just seven hits against a good-hitting Salem team. Salem batters went just 7-for-57 (.123) against the Keys' trio, which walked eight and fanned 16 batters. On top of that, in his first start in the Carolina League last...