CLEARWATER, Fla. – DL Hall is making his exhibition debut this afternoon against the Phillies in Clearwater, where he also pitched for the first time last spring. Hall threw a two-inning simulated game last week to prepare for today's assignment. Hall and Félix Bautista are following starter Kyle Bradish. Rule 5 pick Andrew Politi also is on the tr

New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz injured his right knee and may be out for the year. Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve has a fractured right thumb and will need surgery. The first injury happened during a World Baseball Classic postgame celebration and the second during a WBC game. Those are two key players that will miss significant portion

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Andres Machado walked into The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on Sunday morning, only hours after he left loanDepot Park in Miami, and sought out Davey Martinez. The Nationals reliever, whose Venezuelan club had just been eliminated by the United States from the World Baseball Classic the previous night, wanted his manager to

SARASOTA, Fla. – Just as the Orioles appear closer to deciding on their eight relievers for Opening Day, they toss another grenade into the projections and mocks that already are ill-equipped to instill absolute confidence. I’m expanding my locks to six, with Dillon Tate absent due to the forearm strain that’s kept him out of games but closer Félix

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – It would’ve been easy for Chad Kuhl to take the mound this afternoon at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, knowing what has changed in the last week, and feel like he needed to do something more than usual. With Cade Cavalli now headed for season-ending Tommy John surgery, the Nationals have designated Kuhl as the top candida

SARASOTA, Fla – Kyle Gibson is the first Orioles pitcher to complete five innings. He looked like a pitcher today who would go first in the regular season rotation. Gibson shut out the Pirates on three hits and struck out seven batters. He didn’t issue a walk. With only two runs allowed in 14 innings, Gibson is carrying a 1.29 ERA into his final st

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Nationals have added Ricky Gutierrez to their major league coaching staff, announcing the former infielder will fill the newly created position of run prevention coordinator. Gutierrez, who has prior minor league coaching and managerial experience, will be on a big league staff for the first time, charged primarily with

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – It’s been a warm, dry spring for the better part of a month now, but we did get one rainout last week, and now the weather pattern seems to have changed. It’s supposed to be cooler, windier and cloudier the next several days, with some possibility of rain (more so Monday than today). The Nationals would much rather play toda

SARASOTA, Fla. – Left-hander John Means elevated his full-mound bullpen session yesterday. Means said he threw changeups for the first time, counting 10 of them among his 30 pitches. “I felt great,” he said. “I was excited about it all day.” Means estimated that he’s done five or six bullpens, throwing every other day for the last few weeks. More c

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles are playing their last split-squad games of the spring this afternoon, with part of the clubhouse in Tampa to play the Yankees and the others staying back to face the Pirates. Adley Rutschman is catching Kyle Gibson in Sarasota. Gunnar Henderson is playing third base and batting cleanup. Heston Kjerstad is in left field