Hideki Matsui returned to the New York Yankees’ lineup Sunday, and Randy Johnson is ready to get back on the mound for Arizona.
Playing in his first game since November surgery on his right knee, Matsui went 0-for-3 with two groundouts and a flyout as New York’s designated hitter in a 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Fort Myers, Fla.
“Even though it’s been awhile, I didn’t have any problems,” Matsui said through a translator.
He said he didn’t think it would “take too long” to return to the outfield.
Phil Hughes was sharp, pitching four hitless innings for the Yankees only months after they offered him to Minnesota as part of a proposed trade package for ace Johan Santana.
“He’s doing everything that he has to do to be successful,” New York manager Joe Girardi said. “It seems he’s growing as a pitcher.”
The 21-year-old right-hander, who went 5-3 with a 4.46 ERA as a rookie in 2007, retired his first nine batters before walking two in the fourth. He struck out one and threw 56 pitches.
“I was locating the fastball. That was No. 1. The breaking ball was about where I want it to be, so I was happy with that,” Hughes said. “I just hope I don’t waste all of the good innings during spring training.”
Johnson plans to make his first start of the spring Monday against the NL champion Colorado Rockies in Tucson, Ariz. The left-hander is expected to pitch two innings, another sign of progress as he returns from back surgery.
“Everything’s gone on schedule,” Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said Sunday. “This is right around the first date that we thought that he would potentially take the mound in a game.”
The 44-year-old Johnson went 4-3 with a 3.81 ERA in 10 starts for Arizona last season, the last on June 28, before undergoing his second back operation in less than a year.
Melvin said he hasn’t projected Johnson’s first regular-season start. The Big Unit enters the season with 284 career wins.
“It’s all going to be outing to outing,” Melvin said. “With him, we’re not even close to that yet.”
Ryan Dempster looks just about ready for the Chicago Cubs’ rotation – if that’s where they want to put him.
The right-hander pitched four innings of one-hit ball and Daryle Ward went 4-for-4, sending Chicago to a 13-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals in Surprise, Ariz.
Dempster spent nearly all of the past four seasons in the bullpen and saved 85 games for the Cubs from 2005-07. Now, he is hoping to become a starter again and fill one of two vacancies in Chicago’s rotation.
“There’s a lot of talk about it, but I don’t concern myself with it,” Dempster said. “I feel good stamina-wise and arm-wise. I threw a lot of good sinkers, kept the ball down around the knees.”
Dempster, who walked two and struck out two, had major elbow surgery in 2003 with Cincinnati, and the Cubs made him a closer in 2005. He won 39 games as a starter with the Reds and Florida Marlins from 2000-02 before the operation.
“I felt like I was a pretty darn good starter before I got hurt,” Dempster said. “I believe in myself. I know what I did.”
Royals outfielder Jose Guillen made his first appearance this spring and went 0-for-3.
The Los Angeles Dodgers also have an open spot in their rotation, and Esteban Loaiza is making a strong bid to lock it up.
Facing some of Boston’s best hitters and outpitching Daisuke Matsuzaka, Loaiza delivered what he and manager Joe Torre called his best outing of the spring Sunday.
The 36-year-old right-hander worked three innings, allowing two doubles and two walks in a 4-0 victory over the Red Sox at Vero Beach, Fla. He struck out four of his 13 batters, including David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell.
“I just want to go out there and throw strikes and put the ball low, and I got people out today,” Loaiza said after his third appearance this spring. “There were two doubles, but they were good pitches.”
Loaiza started the spring with a rough outing after tweaking his delivery two days earlier, but scrapped those changes and pitched two scoreless innings during his second start last week against Washington.
Torre likes the improvement, especially considering who Loaiza faced on Sunday. But the manager said others are still in the mix for the fifth spot that would have gone to Jason Schmidt, who has felt fatigue in his arm and won’t be ready for opening day.
“(Loaiza) has got the experience, and he’s gotten better each time out,” Torre said.
In other spring training games:
Brewers (ss) 5, Athletics 2
At Phoenix, Joe Blanton gave up a run in five sharp innings for Oakland. He struck out five. Brewers prospect Cole Gillespie hit a three-run homer.
Angels 6, Rangers 4
At Tempe, Ariz., Michael Young went 2-for-2 and has six hits in his last 12 at-bats. Angels right-hander Ervin Santana allowed six hits and four runs in four innings.
Rockies 10, Giants 2
At Scottsdale, Ariz., Franklin Morales gave up one run in four innings for Colorado.
Brewers (ss) 2, Mariners (ss) 0
At Phoenix, Claudio Vargas made his strongest case yet that he deserves to be in Milwaukee’s rotation, pitching five hitless innings. Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-3 and is 0-for-17 this spring.
Mariners (ss) 10, Diamondbacks 7
At Tucson, Ariz., Brandon Webb made his third spring start, allowing four runs and eight hits in four innings. Chris Burke doubled twice and drove in three runs for Arizona.
Braves 12, Cardinals 5
At Kissimmee, Fla., Tim Hudson allowed three hits and two unearned runs in four innings for the Braves. St. Louis closer Jason Isringhausen yielded three hits and a walk in one inning. He struck out two.
Indians (ss) 5, Nationals (ss) 2
At Winter Haven, Fla., Jake Westbrook struck out five in three scoreless innings.
Nationals (ss) 9, Indians (ss) 0
At Viera, Fla., Cristian Guzman homered from both sides of the plate and Jason Bergmann pitched four scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and struck out four.
Padres 12, White Sox 3
At Peoria, Ariz., after failing to get out of the first inning in either of his first two starts while piling up a 40.50 ERA, Randy Wolf worked three innings and allowed two runs and five hits while striking out five and walking none for San Diego.
Tigers 9, Pirates 7, 10 innings
At Lakeland, Fla., Nate Robertson faced the minimum 12 batters in four scoreless innings. He gave up one hit and struck out four. Freddy Guzman hit a three-run homer off Casey Fossum in the 10th.
Blue Jays 9, Phillies 4
At Clearwater, Fla., Ryan Howard hit his second homer of the spring. Vernon Wells had four RBIs and Aaron Hill hit a two-run double for the Blue Jays.
Mets 3, Astros 0
Port St. Lucie, Fla., John Maine pitched four hitless innings and Jose Reyes hit a leadoff homer for New York. All-Star closer Billy Wagner struck out two.
Reds 6, Rays 4
At St. Petersburg, Fla., Matt Belisle allowed an unearned run and two hits in three innings. Josh Fogg, another right-hander hoping to win a spot in Cincinnati’s rotation, yielded two runs and five hits in three innings.
Orioles 7, Marlins 3
At Jupiter, Fla., Ricky Nolasco pitched three perfect innings before Baltimore jumped on him for three runs and four hits in the fourth. Jeremy Hermida hit a three-run homer for Florida off Adam Loewen.
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