Mike DeBartolo’s first week on the job as the Nationals’ interim general manager was consumed with the Major League Baseball Draft. His second and third weeks on the job are now focused on MLB’s upcoming trade deadline, and a critical question he must confront: How committed is the organization to its current group of young players? The Nats will b

TAMPA – Kyle Bradish will begin his injury rehab assignment Thursday with High-A Aberdeen, staying on track for a second-half return to the Orioles’ rotation. Bradish had two ups yesterday during live batting practice in Sarasota. Adley Rutschman (oblique) will start his rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Norfolk. He’s getting at-bats today aga

The Nationals have found themselves in this position plenty of times over the last month-plus, having lost the first game of a series before bouncing back to win the next night, leaving the finale as the decisive rubber game. And in five of the last seven such instances, they’ve lost the finale and thus lost the series. One of those series came las

TAMPA – Tony Mansolino is new to this whole managing thing, carrying his interim tag into every major league ballpark and a few of the minor league fill-ins, but he’s a quick study and knows that he can’t control the narrative. The media’s gonna media. The pressure of the approaching trade deadline could be impacting the Orioles, who are predicted

Kyle Finnegan said he couldn’t wait to get back on the mound tonight and erase the sting of Friday night’s disastrous ninth inning. The Nationals closer got his wish. And made the most of the opportunity. Handed a two-run lead in the top of the ninth, Finnegan shut down the Padres and finished off a 4-2 victory before a boisterous Saturday night cr

TAMPA – A fast start tonight by the Orioles would have to set a pace that didn’t let the Rays pass them. It was a dangerous little game that was destined to cause a crash. Three of the first four batters reached and the Orioles scored twice before the bats were tamed again, with no runs over the next seven innings. None were surrendered by Dean Kre

When it came time to negotiate his first professional contract, Eli Willits felt no need to waste any time. He wanted to get the deal done and get to work. He does have a goal, of course, of reaching the big leagues at an extremely young age. “I’m just ready to get out there and play,” the Nationals’ top draft pick said this afternoon. “I set a goa

TAMPA – Zach Eflin is nearing a return to the Orioles’ rotation, perhaps next week in Cleveland. Eflin tossed four innings yesterday in the Florida Complex League, allowing five unearned runs in the fourth. He threw 68 pitches, 40 for strikes, and said he felt “great” and “ready to go.” The Orioles put Eflin on the 15-day injured list retroactive t

TAMPA – The Orioles got on a serious draft signing roll today, with two more players entering the organization. The club reached agreements with left-hander Joseph Dzierwa, a second-rounder out of Michigan State, and right-hander JT Quinn, a Competitive Balance B Round selection out of Georgia. Five of the Orioles’ first six picks have signed profe

It promises to be another eventful day and evening at Nationals Park, and it’s not just about the game. The Nats are set to formally sign and introduce No. 1 draft pick Eli Willits this afternoon. You can watch the press conference live on MASN at 3:15 p.m. Interim general manager Mike DeBartolo is also scheduled to meet with reporters for the seco