PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The fifth starter competition in Nationals camp has been less a spirited battle and more a war of attrition. One that may leave Mitchell Parker as the last man standing when the team heads north in 10 days. DJ Herz seemingly had an opportunity to make a case for himself this afternoon against the Rays, but it turns out the Na

DUNEDIN, Fla. – The number was right, but the player wearing it jogged to left. Anthony Santander faced the Orioles today for the first time since signing a five-year, $92.5 million contract with the Blue Jays. The white 25 on the back of a blue jersey didn’t fit the images created over his eight seasons in Baltimore, and he added to the weirdness

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – CJ Abrams is back in the Nationals lineup, with no apparent lingering concerns after departing Wednesday’s game in the first inning. Abrams is leading off and starting at shortstop for this afternoon’s game against the Rays, the first leg of a rare overnight spring training trip for the Nats, who brought most of their regular

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Hello from the Gulf Coast of Florida, the opposite side of the state from where you usually hear from us. The Nationals are making a rare overnight spring training trip, with back-to-back games against the Rays here in Port Charlotte and then the Braves in nearby North Port. Most of the regulars have made the trip and will pl

DUNEDIN, Fla. – The Orioles brought reserves and minor leaguers to TD Ballpark for today's game against the Blue Jays. Ramón Laureano is leading off and playing center field. Dylan Carlson follows in right field and Coby Mayo is batting cleanup as the designated hitter. Other players on the trip include Nick Gordon in left field, Emmanuel Rivera at

The Nationals are used to having a trio of young, promising outfielders in spring training. James Wood, Dylan Crews and Robert Hassell III drew a lot of attention during their first camp together last year. And this year, they are back in the major league clubhouse at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, with Wood and Crews expected to make the Opening

The baseball gods are hardly ever kind. Over the last few weeks, the Orioles have been hit with significant injuries. We’re not talking 2024 depths of despair level, but important enough to conjure similar emotions. Agony, dread, synonyms. This week on “The Bird’s Nest,” Annie Klaff and I broke down the injuries and what they mean for Baltimore mov

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The conversation happened a few weeks ago and was the type of conversation that doesn’t always go over well with the player involved. The Nationals used their first round pick in 2019 on Jackson Rutledge because they believed he could be a frontline starting pitcher for them for a long time. Now, nearly six years later, they

SARASOTA, Fla. – The nine Orioles guest instructors are gone, or at least the official ones. Cal Ripken Jr. has been working with some infielders while also visiting camp as part of the new ownership group. Former starter Scott McGregor, on the mound for the final out of the 1983 World Series, got the ball rolling, so to speak, with his arrival on

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The sight of CJ Abrams racing around the bases for a leadoff triple in the bottom of the first today was a beautiful thing for the Nationals. The sight of the All-Star shortstop walking off the field and seeking out a trainer two batters later was the last thing anyone wanted to see. By all accounts, it doesn’t appear to be