WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Jackson Rutledge looks like he’s ready for a breakout season. And not just because his 6-foot-8, 251-pound frame looks like it already belongs in the major leagues. While he physically can measure up to anyone in the Nationals clubhouse, the former organizational top prospect still has some growing to do on the mound. And he

SARASOTA, Fla. – Do not fall in love with spring training or September stats. Managers have warned us about it for centuries. Or at least since I’ve been a full-time beat reporter in 1997. The same rule or sage advice applies to overreactions on the negative side. Do not fall out of love. Here are a few examples, beginning with a hitter who left ca

JUPITER, Fla. – When discussing MacKenzie Gore this morning, Davey Martinez called his starting pitcher a “perfectionist.” That was slightly evident after Gore came out of his last start on Thursday a little disappointed in the results. He wasn’t as sharp as he would have liked. It was even more evident after Gore finished what was, in his eyes, a

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Grayson Rodriguez left his glove on the ground as the crowd reacted today to a line drive hit up the middle of the field. Rodriguez hustled after the ball, threw out the Twins’ Donovan Solano and began flexing his hand. The Orioles dugout began to hyperventilate. The medical check from manager Brandon Hyde and an athletic trainer

The Nationals have made the following roster moves: Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Joan Adon Re-assigned to minor league camp: LHP Alberto Baldonado, RHP Gerardo Carrillo, LHP Evan Lee, LHP Francisco Perez, RHP Tommy Romero, C Brady Lindsly, INF Lucius Fox, INF Erick Mejia, OF Yasel Antuna OF Donovan Casey, RHP Jackson Tetreault, RHP Anthony Castro, OF

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Orioles infielder Terrin Vavra is making steady progress after being scratched from Saturday’s lineup with discomfort in his left shoulder. Vavra said this morning that he’d attempt to hit for the first time. He’s been shut down and receiving treatment. “Feel good, kept getting better,” Vavra said. “Just trying to keep treating i

JUPITER, Fla. – Things are starting to heat up at Nationals spring training as today is the first of 20 straight days with games before the end of camp. With no more off-days before the team departs for D.C. and a handful of players away from camp over the next few weeks to participate in the World Baseball Classic, the Nationals need to start ramp

JUPITER, Fla. – We’re back to baseball after yesterday’s off-day, the last of Nationals spring training before the team breaks camp at the end of the month. Things are going to start ramping up here soon. Starting pitchers and regular position players will play deeper into games. And the team announced its first round of cuts this morning. MacKenzi

FORT MYERS, Fla. – John Means is getting back to baseball normal. Means threw his first half-mound session yesterday morning in Sarasota, tossing 20 fastballs with no discomfort in his surgically repaired left elbow. He’ll do it again Wednesday and progress to a full mound Friday morning. “Felt great, felt awesome,” Means said. “Kind of felt like a

In an organization loaded with shortstop prospects – with Gunnar Henderson having signed as a shortstop and others like Joey Ortiz and Jordan Westburg and last year’s overall No. 1 pick Jackson Holliday in the pipeline – a young kid from the Dominican Republic can get overlooked. But with a smooth-looking left-handed swing that is now producing som