Last Updated on March 22, 2017 2:45 am by admin
New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius is expected to miss the first month of the regular season after straining his right shoulder while away at the World Baseball Classic.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Tuesday that Gregorius is likely to be sidelined six weeks. Opening day for the Yankees is April 2 at Tampa Bay.
Gregorius was hurt when he turned a double play for the Netherlands on Saturday in an exhibition game against Arizona in preparation for the WBC semifinals.
”It’s someone we’re going to miss,” manager Joe Girardi said before Tuesday’s game against Boston in Tampa, Florida. ”Guys are going to have to step up.”
The 27-year-old Gregorius hit .276 with 20 home runs and 70 RBIs last season.
The Yankees have backup shortstops Ronald Torreyes and Ruben Tejada in camp, along with utilityman Tyler Wade and top prospect Gleyber Torres. Cashman said Torres won’t be in the mix at the start, and the prized youngster was reassigned to Double-A Trenton in minor league camp Tuesday night.
Second baseman Starlin Castro will likely get some time at shortstop over the final week and a half of spring training.
BARRY’S BONDING
Barry Bonds is returning to the San Francisco Giants as a special adviser.
The home run champion was scheduled to help coach at spring training beginning Wednesday in Scottsdale, Arizona. He will work with the minor league teams, too.
Bonds spent last season as Miami’s hitting coach before being fired. He will work with Giants chief executive Larry Baer.
”San Francisco has always been my home and the Giants will always be my family,” Bonds said.
—
Around the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues:
RED SOX 4, YANKEES 2
Chris Sale struck out 10 Yankees in six innings, giving Boston’s new ace 20 strikeouts with just one walk in 16 innings this spring. He allowed four hits, including Matt Holliday’s fourth homer, a two-run shot that came in Sale’s last inning.
Mike Miller hit his first homer and prospect Sam Travis added an RBI single off New York starter Bryan Mitchell, who allowed seven hits and struck out seven in 4 1/3 innings.
NATIONALS 3, BRAVES 1
Gio Gonzalez gave up one run on three hits and one walk over 4 1/3 innings and has a 1.10 ERA this spring. Ryan Zimmerman went 2 for 4, extending his hit streak to six games. He is hitting .625 over that stretch after going 0 for 17 in his first nine appearances.
ASTROS 2, MARLINS 1
Mike Fiers struck out five over four scoreless innings for Houston. Yuli Gurriel and prospect Derek Fisher homered. Jose Altuve, who hit .286 in seven games for Venezuela at the World Baseball Classic, went 1 for 4 and is hitting .100 (2 for 20) this spring.
Wei-Yin Chen struck out six and walked none while allowing three hits and two runs over five innings for Miami.
PHILLIES 9, TWINS 5
Aaron Altherr led off Philadelphia’s six-run ninth inning with a homer. Odubel Herrera had two hits and drove in two runs and Freddy Galvis homered.
Minnesota starter Kyle Gibson gave up one in five innings.
PIRATES 5, RAYS 4
John Jaso and Jacob Stallings homered for Pittsburgh. Chad Kuhl gave up three runs in five innings.
Alex Cobb allowed three runs and struck out five over 5 1/3 innings for Tampa Bay. Steven Souza Jr. and Patrick Leonard homered.
BLUE JAYS 5, ORIOLES 2
Aaron Sanchez walked four while giving up one run over 3 1/3 innings for Toronto.
Ubaldo Jimenez gave up four runs on five hits and three walks in four innings. He has allowed 10 earned runs in 10 innings over his last three starts for Baltimore. Chris Davis hit his first homer of the spring.
ANGELS 9, REDS 1
Angels starter J.C. Ramirez allowed one run on four hits and struck out six over five innings.
Cincinnati starter Cody Reed threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out five with one hit and two walks.
GIANTS 5, PADRES 3
Madison Bumgarner pitched two scoreless innings and struck out three for San Francisco. Nick Hundley hit two homers and drove in four runs. Hunter Pence went 0 for 2 and is hitting .118 this spring.
San Diego’s Trevor Cahill struck out seven over five innings, allowing one run on one hit.
DIAMONDBACKS 4, ROYALS 2
Peter O’Brien hit his spring training-leading seventh homer and Jorge Soler also connected for Kansas City.
Robbie Ray gave up two runs on four hits over five innings while striking out six for Arizona. Gregor Blanco and Nick Ahmed each tripled and Chris Herrmann homered.
DODGERS 5, BREWERS 4
Matt Garza gave up six hits, struck out five and gave up one run in 3 2/3 innings. Manny Pina hit a three-run homer for Milwaukee.
Hyun-Jin Ryu threw four scoreless innings, giving up one hit and striking out two. He also hit an RBI single.
Ryu, who has made just one major league start since Sept. 12, 2014, has allowed just five hits and one run in nine innings this spring.
RANGERS 4, WHITE SOX 3
Chicago announced a $25 million, six-year contract for Tim Anderson earlier in the day and the 23-year-old shortstop celebrated with an RBI triple in his first at-bat. He scored on Jose Abreu’s sacrifice fly.
James Shields scattered three hits over six shutout innings for the White Sox and struck out six.
Texas ace Cole Hamels allowed two runs – one earned – and three hits in four innings. He struck out five and walked none.
ATHLETICS 8, MARINERS 5
Oakland tagged Seattle starter Chris Heston for seven hits, five of them doubles, and six runs in the third inning. Trevor Plouffe, Yonder Alonso and Bruce Maxwell each finished with two hits and two RBIs for the A’s.
Robinson Cano, one of four Mariners to return from the WBC, had two hits and three RBIs. Shawn O’Malley, competing for a utility position, underwent an appendectomy Tuesday night.