In an era where Major League Baseball clings to nostalgia while streaming eats its lunch, two neighboring franchises—the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals—are quietly plotting something disruptive. It’s not a blockbuster trade or rule change, but it might just jolt the league more than either. As cable crumbles and rivalries flicker, the Orioles have decided it’s time to turn proximity into provocation—and maybe profit.

The Orioles and the Nationals might not have a rivalry like the Dodgers and the Padres, but they still draw an audience when they face each other. After the whole drama with MASN and the Nationals deal, the Orioles are looking to boost both teams with a new move.

In the recent article by the Baltimore Sun, it was revealed that the Orioles’ Catie Griggs is looking to do more. She said, “I think it’s always fun when you have opportunities to showcase on-field rivals.” And added that they are working with the Nationals to find ways where they can do more collectively.

A recent example of this is the exhibition series agreement between the two teams. In March 2025, both clubs announced they would play annual spring training exhibition games after each preseason through 2029. This long-term deal is specifically designed to foster regional rivalry and fan crossover—one game will be hosted in Baltimore and the other in Washington every year.

So, while these preseason games might not crown a champion, they could offer something far rarer in modern baseball: relevance. If MASN and the Orioles play their cards right, the Battle of the Beltways might finally be more than just a clever hashtag. Because nothing says “healthy rivalry” like monetizing mutual resentment—and maybe, just maybe, filling a few more seats along the way.

Nationals and Orioles fans can ditch cable to watch games

For years, local baseball fans have endured a cruel paradox: living minutes from the ballpark but miles from actually watching a game—unless they shelled out for an ancient relic called cable, in an era where you can stream Icelandic crime dramas on your fridge, D.C. and Baltimore somehow remained broadcast black holes. But now, after what feels like a century, someone finally read the room.

We all know that the MASN era is coming to an end with the Nationals, but until then, they will have to push through the same with a slight change. MASN, which was broadcasting games until now, has also launched its streaming services called MASN+, and that’s good news.

The Orioles and Nationals fans have been frustrated by the lack of in-market streaming services, as not all fans can watch the games. The viewership also dropped from 5.6 million homes in 2018 to 3 million homes in the past year. With MLB also expected to enter into the streaming business, this might be a good shift for MASN and the teams involved.

So yes, MASN finally found the “+” button on the remote. This move isn’t just overdue—it’s decades late. But at least it acknowledges that fans exist outside coaxial cables. With MLB eyeing a streaming-first future and the Nationals headed for a new media era, MASN+ might be less a revolution and more a survival tactic. Either way, welcome to 2025, MASN. We’ve been expecting you.