In just a few hours, the Washington Nationals will welcome their Beltway neighbors to the north, the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles, for a two-game series.

This matchup is an interesting time for both franchises, with developments on the field and within their ownership structures. Since David Rubenstein purchased the Orioles, the relationship between the two franchises has become friendlier, especially from Baltimore's side.

Rubenstein recently made headlines by inviting members of the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., to "join him for a game" in Baltimore during one of the club's events last Tuesday night, as Garrett Dvorkin of the Baltimore Business Journal reported. According to Dvorkin, Rubenstein acknowledged that attracting D.C. baseball fans to Baltimore has been challenging since the Washington Nationals arrived in 2005. However, he also noted the historical connection between the Orioles and Washington, recalling how former Orioles owner Edward Bennett Williams used to advertise heavily in the D.C. market.

For the first time in years, the Nationals and Orioles are planning a joint-themed event. Both teams will wear their City Connect jerseys for one of the games in this series. This kind of collaboration would have been unlikely under the Orioles' previous ownership.

There are also broader issues between the two franchises, especially regarding the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), which has been a point of contention. Recent reports suggest that Rubenstein is aiming to resolve the MASN conflict. According to The Athletic, resolving the dispute over the shared regional sports network is a priority for Rubenstein. The Angelos family, who has rejected multiple offers to sell MASN over the years, now faces the same challenges as other regional sports network owners in a rapidly changing media landscape.

Turning to on-field performance, the Orioles are having an excellent season. They're currently 23-11, one game ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL East. They've also been strong on the road, with an 11-4 record, and have won their last four games.

The Nationals are also finding their rhythm. They recently achieved their 12th come-from-behind win by beating the Toronto Blue Jays, the most comeback wins in Major League Baseball. They are one win away from achieving a winning record for the first time since 2021, and it would be quite the accomplishment if it came against the Orioles, who are enjoying their best season in years.

Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams is having a standout season and might earn his first All-Star appearance. In the latest game, Abrams went 1-5 with a double in the eighth inning, scoring a run. He has reached base in 20 of his last 21 games and hit safely in 19. His current slash line stands at .291/.361/.581, with seven doubles, three triples, four home runs, 11 RBIs, eight walks, two hit-by-pitches, five stolen bases, and 18 runs scored during this stretch.

The Nationals are exceeding expectations, currently in third place in the NL East and holding the third Wild Card spot. Their farm system also looks promising, with players at all levels performing well. Just yesterday, Harrisburg Senators outfielder and top prospect Robert Hassell III was named Eastern League Player of the Week. Additionally, Triple-A Rochester outfielder James Wood, who came to the Nationals in the Juan Soto trade, is hitting .325 with two home runs, 11 RBIs, and an OPS of .895.

As the Nationals and Orioles take the field tonight in Washington, D.C., there's a lot of excitement and anticipation. Regardless of the outcome, it should be an enjoyable series for baseball fans on both sides of the Beltway.

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