Game 118 lineups: Nats vs. Braves (Thomas called up)

Game 118 lineups: Nats vs. Braves (Thomas called up)
Things are pretty bleak around Nationals Park these days. The home team has lost 11 of 12 and 29 of 39, and has fallen into a tie with the Marlins for last place in the National League East. Yes, this is the first step in a rebuilding project, and the club's record means a lot less now than it did three weeks ago. But that doesn't make this any easier to watch. Or, for those involved personally, to experience. But the Nationals have no choice but to press on, and today they'll try to snap...
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Game 117 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 117 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
And we're back. If it feels like Friday night's game just ended, that's because it did. The Nationals and Braves find themselves in the unfortunate position of not only having just played a game that ended at 1:19 a.m. but having their next game scheduled to start at 6:05 p.m., an hour early to accommodate the planned postgame fireworks show. And, yes, it's important to remember that the fireworks remain planned for postgame tonight. In order for them to actually take place, this game will...
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Orioles lineup vs. Red Sox (updated)

Orioles lineup vs. Red Sox (updated)
The Orioles will try tonight to end an eight-game losing streak, their third this season, in the series opener against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. They've been swept 13 times. Cedric Mullins brings a 19-game hitting streak to Boston, the longest for the Orioles since Adam Jones hit in 20 straight in May 2012. Austin Hays is in right field tonight. He's hit safely in 10 consecutive games to start the month of August. DJ Stewart is the designated hitter. He homered twice yesterday and has three...
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Game 116 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 116 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
The Nationals are back home again, having just suffered through a brutal 1-5 road trip to Atlanta and New York that included blown saves, rain delays, rainouts and other assorted calamities. All of that leaves this team in a prolonged funk unlike any they've experienced in a very long time. The Nats have lost 27 of their last 37 games. The only worse stretch in club history came near the end of the 2009 season, the last time this franchise lost 100 games. That's how bad things have...
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Game 115 lineups: Nats at Mets

Game 115 lineups: Nats at Mets
And we're back. Seven innings down, seven more to go before the Nationals can finally get out of New York and return home after a long week. Erick Fedde brings a 4-8 record and 5.15 ERA to his late-afternoon start. The last time Fedde faced the Mets, on June 18, he pitched seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball with six strikeouts to bring his season ERA to 3.33. Over the eight starts since, the right-hander is 0-4 with a 7.75 ERA. In two starts against the Mets this season, Fedde has only...
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Game 114 lineups: Nats at Mets (Nolin starting)

Game 114 lineups: Nats at Mets (Nolin starting)
It's been a weird week for the Nationals in New York leading up to this afternoon's series finale against the Mets. The coaching staff rejoined the team on Monday's off-day. Tuesday's game was suspended in the second inning. In Wednesday's resumption, the Nats blew a 4-1 lead, then went up 7-4 and blew that lead before finally losing 8-7. And then yesterday's regularly scheduled game had to be rescheduled as a part of an early doubleheader today. Let's hope everything goes smoothly for...
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Game 114 lineups: Nats at Mets

Game 114 lineups: Nats at Mets
Well, the opener of this evening's pseudo-doubleheader did not go as the Nationals would've hoped. Despite twice holding a three-run lead, they wound up losing to the Mets 8-7, done in by an inexperienced bullpen that is suddenly being asked to pitch high-leverage innings against a team still in the pennant race. They'll have to hope for a better result in the nightcap, a scheduled seven-inning game that is supposed to begin at 8 p.m. but is now being delayed because of another big storm...
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Game 113 lineups: Nats at Mets

Game 113 lineups: Nats at Mets
For months, the Nationals found themselves chasing the Mets in the National League East, and because they ultimately weren't able to gain enough ground in the division race, their leaders decided it was time to undergo a mass rebuild. Since then, what's happened to the Mets? They've gone in the tank as well, losing nine of 11 and turning a four-game lead in the NL East into a 2 1/2-game deficit that now sees them trailing both the Phillies and Braves. It's too late for the Nats to take...
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Mountcastle on concussion IL, notes and lineups (updated)

Mountcastle on concussion IL, notes and lineups (updated)
The Orioles placed Ryan Mountcastle on the seven-day concussion injured list today and recalled left-hander Alexander Wells from Triple-A Norfolk. Wells was eligible to return in fewer than the minimum 10 days based on an injury. He was scheduled to start today for the Tides. Manager Brandon Hyde said the club will re-evaluate going with an extra pitcher after Monday's off-day. The bench includes catcher Pedro Severino, who left last night's game with a sore right knee but should be available...
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Game 112 lineups: Nats at Braves

Game 112 lineups: Nats at Braves
Last night was a good night for the Nationals. Not only because they won, 3-2, but because the guys who made the win possible are front-and-center members of their rebuilding effort. Josiah Gray struck out 10 over five impressive innings. Mason Thompson struck out a pair during a scoreless inning of relief. Riley Adams blasted the game-flipping homer with two outs in the top of the ninth. And Kyle Finnegan shut the door on the Braves with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth. So, what's next? Well,...
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Game 111 lineups: Nats at Braves

Game 111 lineups: Nats at Braves
The Nationals aren't playing winning baseball right now, not anything close to winning baseball. They enter tonight's game in Atlanta having dropped five in a row and 23 of 32 overall. So the focus, of course, turns to individual performances, especially those who figure into the club's long-term plans. So tonight we get an opportunity to watch one of the key building blocks again: Josiah Gray. The 23-year-old right-hander, one of the key prospects acquired from the Dodgers for Max Scherzer...
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Orioles and Rays lineups

Orioles and Rays lineups
Ryan Mountcastle is out of the Orioles lineup tonight after undergoing an evaluation last night for a concussion. Mountcastle was removed from last night's game after two innings. He took a hard tag from Wander Franco on the side of his head in the first on a failed stolen base attempt. Trey Mancini is starting at first base and Anthony Santander is the designated hitter. Maikel Franco is starting at third base and the Orioles are going with a double play combination of Jorge Mateo at second...
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Game 110 lineups: Nats at Braves

Game 110 lineups: Nats at Braves
The Nationals are in a tough spot right now, and if you didn't already know why, here's some evidence: In eight of their last 12 games, they've held the lead going into the ninth inning. And they've only emerged victorious in three of them. So on one hand, even the rebuilding, inexperienced Nats are still putting themselves in a position to win more than they lose. But they're not actually winning more than they're losing. Quite the contrary. They've lost 22 of their last 31. That's the...
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Orioles and Rays lineups

Orioles and Rays lineups
Richie Martin is starting at shortstop again tonight and Ramón Urías is playing second base, as the Orioles begin a three-game series against the Rays at Camden Yards. Maikel Franco is the third baseman. No sign of new infielder/outfielder Jorge Mateo. Ryan Mountcastle is the first baseman again with Trey Mancini serving as designated hitter. Anthony Santander is in right field and batting sixth. Cedric Mullins has a 13-game hitting streak, batting .385 (20-for-52) with three doubles, a...
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Game 109 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

Game 109 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies
This afternoon's series finale against the Phillies represents another opportunity for a young Nationals pitcher to go out and show what he can provide the team down the line, while also trying to avoid a four-game sweep at home. Joe Ross makes his 19th start of the year today. He's 5-9 with a 4.00 ERA after giving up five runs (four earned) in last weekend's start against the Cubs. In the start prior, he held this very Phillies club to just three hits over five scoreless innings in...
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Orioles promote Knight and Diplán, DFA Anderson and Leyba

Orioles promote Knight and Diplán, DFA Anderson and Leyba
The Orioles retooled their bullpen today by selecting the contracts of right-handers Dusten Knight and Marcos Diplán from Triple-A Norfolk, two more potential major league debuts. Forty-nine players have been used this season, with 12 making their debuts. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Orioles decided pitcher Shaun Anderson and infielder Domingo Leyba would be designated for assignment. Leyba was in Norfolk. Knight is wearing No. 67 and Diplán No. 78. Rule 5 pick Tyler Wells...
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Game 108 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

Game 108 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies
There are players we know are going to be part of the Nationals' plan in 2022, and there are players we know are not going to be part of their plan in 2022. And then there are those who don't really fall into either category. They aren't necessarily building blocks for the future, but they also still serve a valuable function and could return next year to do the same. Like Paolo Espino. At 34, he's hardly in position to be a long-term part of the Nationals rotation. But he's been really...
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Orioles and Yankees lineups (updated)

Orioles and Yankees lineups (updated)
Cedric Mullins brings an 11-game hitting streak into tonight's game against the Yankees in the Bronx. Mullins is 17-for-44 (.386) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, four walks and four stolen bases during his streak. Last night marked his team-leading 33rd multi-hit game of the season. He's batting .318 (14-for-44) with two doubles, four home runs, five RBIs, three walks, four stolen bases and eight runs scored in 11 games against the Yankees this season. Left-hander Nestor Cortes...
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Game 107 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

Game 107 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies
Games like last night, when a recently acquired prospect makes his debut, are about the future. Games like tonight, when a struggling veteran takes the mound yet again, are about something else. Patrick Corbin is part of the Nationals' future, but that's only because his contract dictates it. He's signed for three more seasons and still owed $82 million. He's not going anywhere. So the Nats need Corbin to figure out how to be an effective pitcher again, something he hasn't been since the...
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Orioles and Yankees lineups

Orioles and Yankees lineups
Cedric Mullins is back in the lineup, after a rare rest yesterday, as the Orioles begin a three-game series against the Yankees in the Bronx. Austin Hays is in left field and Anthony Santander is in right. Ryan Mountcastle is the first baseman and cleanup hitter. Pat Valaika is starting at second base. The Yankees won two of three games against the Orioles in New York in April. The teams split four games later in the month in Baltimore and the Yankees won two of three at Camden Yards in...
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