National League Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer probably will miss Washington’s Major League Baseball opener against Miami on April 3 because of a stress fracture in his right ring finger.
The stress fracture had caused Scherzer to change the grip on his fastball, placing three fingers on top of the ball instead of two, but he went back to his old grip Thursday during his first game action this year, a three-inning stint in a minor league exhibition against New York Mets’ Triple-A players.
”That’s the really good news today,” said Scherzer, who struck out five. ”It’s good to be back to the normal grip. From here on out, I’ll be obviously progressing that way. Now I’m dialing it in, trying to hit locations and really trying to pitch with the fastball again. Now I feel back.”
Scherzer threw 35 of 54 pitches for strikes, mixing in some three-fingered fastballs. He had two quick innings but struggled with his control in the second.
Pitching coach Mike Maddux said Scherzer would start for the Nationals on Wednesday against St. Louis.
Manager Dusty Baker said of Scherzer’s opening-day availability: ”At this point, probably no.”
MAKING HIS WAY BACK
Toronto Blue Jays reliever T.J. House is slowly increasing his physical activity, almost a week after he was hit on the head by a line drive during a spring training game.
House was cleared to run on a treadmill for five minutes Thursday, a day after he rode a stationary bike for seven minutes.
”It’s just a slow progression,” House said. ”There’s not really a timetable right now. It’s day to day. If it’s good, you continue moving forward. Just excited to be kind of being active again, sweating a little bit.”
MINIMUM WAGE
Aaron Sanchez says there are ”no hard feelings” after the Blue Jays renewed his contract for the minimum salary of $535,000 in the major leagues and $304,444 in the unlikely event he is sent to the minors.
Sanchez went 15-2 with a 3.00 ERA last year, his first full season as a starting pitcher.
Toronto offered a modest increase above the minimum based on the team’s formula, which was rejected by Sanchez and his agent, Scott Boras.
ACROSS THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUES
NATIONALS 3, METS 1
Bryce Harper hit his spring training-leading sixth home run, and Gio Gonzalez pitched five hitless innings, striking out two and walking one. Ryan Zimmerman hit a run-scoring single in the fourth inning, leaving him with a .136 average (3 for 22) with one RBI.
CARDINALS 2, TWINS 1
Trevor Rosenthal, in his transition from closer to starter, gave up two hits and two walks in two shutout innings. Jedd Gyorko hit a solo homer, and Randal Grichuk had a game-ending, bases-loaded single in the ninth.
TIGERS 5, BRAVES 3
Nick Castellanos and prospect JaCoby Jones homered, and Daniel Norris gave up two runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts. Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz struck out seven in four innings, allowing one run and five hits. Matt Kemp went 2 for 2 with an RBI single.
YANKEES 11, BLUE JAYS 5
Starling Castro hit a three-run homer, Aaron Hicks added a solo shot and prospect Clint Frazier hit his first of spring training. Yankees prospect James Kaprielian struck out three in two scoreless innings of relief, then was reassigned to the minor league complex.
New York agreed to a minor league contract with reliever Ernesto Frieri, who last pitched in the big leagues with Tampa Bay in 2015 and was with Colombia in the World Baseball Classic. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said the 31-year-old right-hander has a chance to make New York’s opening-day roster.
BREWERS 8, DIAMONDBACKS 5
Matt Garza was knocked around for his third straight start, allowing four runs over 3 1/3 innings for Milwaukee. Garza’s spring ERA is 8.31 in four appearances. Travis Shaw clubbed a two-run shot for Milwaukee, and Jesus Aguilar hit his fourth homer of the spring.
CUBS 4, DODGERS 0
South Korea’s Hyun-Jin Ryu had another strong outing, holding Chicago to a run and striking out four over three innings. Ryu has made just one start in the past two seasons for Los Angeles because of injuries. He’s allowed a run over five innings with six strikeouts in two spring starts.
INDIANS 6, ATHLETICS 5
Austin Jackson had a pair of doubles and three RBIs for Cleveland, and Indians starter Zach McAlister gave up two runs on five hits in two innings.
A’s prospect Franklin Barreto hit his first spring homer and Ryon Healy added his third, a two-run shot. Andrew Triggs allowed six runs on five hits over 3 2/3 innings
MARINERS 9, ROYALS (ss) 2
Prospect Boog Powell had three hits, including a double, and two RBIs while Tyler O’Neill had RBI double for Seattle. Starter Chase De Jong gave up a run on four hits and a walk over four innings.
ROYALS (ss) 13, PADRES 3
Kansas City erupted for eight runs in the second. Prospect Hunter Dozier scored on a botched squeeze play, Alex Gordon plated two with a single and an outfield error and Whit Merrifield tripled in Gordon. Gordon had two hits, three RBIs and three runs, and Merrifield had three hits.
ANGELS 8, ROCKIES 7
Albert Pujols had two hits and two RBIs and Yunel Escobar also had two hits for Los Angeles. Garrett Richards allowed three runs over four innings, and the Angels had three extra-base hits and scored four runs in the ninth.
PHILLIES 2, ORIOLES 2
Chris Dickerson singled with one out in the ninth to break up Philadelphia’s no-hitter, and Sean Coyle followed with a tying homer to left field.
Vince Velasquez pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out six with no hits and four walks for Philadelphia.
RED SOX 4, PIRATES 3
Chris Sale allowed three runs on seven hits over four innings for Boston, and Craig Kimbrel rebounded from a tough outing on Sunday with a perfect inning of work. Marco Hernandez and Christian Vasquez each had two hits, and Sam Travis got his ninth RBI of the spring.
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