One of many good things about the fact the 2024 Orioles season has begun is that we will stop hearing about the Texas series and the Orioles being swept in the American League Division Series. A new year thankfully leads to media asking less about that and the players certainly are glad to stop answering for it and about it. “I use it for fuel a li

CINCINNATI – Despite their limited action in free agency over the winter, the Nationals’ payroll has gone up a bit this year, a product almost entirely of returning players whose salaries increased via arbitration. The Nats’ Opening Day payroll (counting 26 active players, plus five more who began the season on the injured list) is $107,566,629, ac

Five Orioles made their first Opening Day roster Thursday. Four of them were easy calls, anticipated over the winter or definitely late in camp. Grayson Rodriguez was in the rotation after last spring’s surprise demotion, with the only question whether he’d be the No. 2 or 3 starter. He gets the ball this afternoon. Yennier Cano made his 2023 debut

Former O’s manager Buck Showalter used to say, “That’s what they look like” when describing a young player or prospect who looked like a future star. The same phrase might have applied to ace pitchers and yesterday’s outing by the Orioles' Corbin Burnes. “That’s what they look like.” That’s what can happen when you get a smart pitcher with a great

CINCINNATI – The Nationals had a plan all mapped out for Trey Lipscomb. Lipscomb, the last player demoted from the spring training roster, would report to Triple-A Rochester, where he would get the bulk of his playing time at second base. There would be occasional starts at both shortstop and third base, but manager Davey Martinez wanted the versat

The Orioles are 1-0, the record that really matters. Only 161 more to go, and then more. It’s almost inconceivable that this team isn’t playing deeper into October than 2023 at the least. I’m not using yesterday’s Opening Day trouncing of the Angels as my sole reason. They don’t appear to be very good - on paper for sure and on the field in their f

CINCINNATI – A season of renewed optimism ran headfirst into a brick wall this afternoon. Opening Day saw Josiah Gray get lit up by a 33-year-old journeyman, the Nationals lineup get shut down by a 31-year-old making his first start in two seasons and their starting third baseman get taken out by a pregame ground ball. An 8-2 loss to the Reds – a g

The last game played at Camden Yards pushed the Orioles to the brink of playoff elimination. Today really was the next chapter. Opening Day healed the wounds. Corbin Burnes was a starter who tried to provide closure. The ballpark was packed and a chant of “Let’s Go O’s” began immediately after the anthem. Fans already erupted during player introduc

CINCINNATI – Victor Robles is on the Nationals’ Opening Day roster for the sixth straight year. He is not, however, in the starting lineup for the first time. Opting for what he hopes will be a better offensive matchup, manager Davey Martinez decided to start veteran Eddie Rosario in center field, with Jesse Winker in left field, for today’s season

The Orioles' 2024 season, their 71st season in Baltimore, begins this afternoon at Oriole Park. They start a three-game series hosting the Los Angeles Angels. The Orioles, who are 45-25 all-time in season-opening games, have won 10 of their last 13. They won at Boston on Opening Day last year. The O's are 46-24 in home openers.  The Orioles op