Story taking grounders, Yoshida shining
When Trevor Story took the stage at Winter Weekend in late January, the high-tech metal contraption encasing his arm was a brutal reminder of a development that would seriously impact the 2023 Red Sox.
Story had undergone an internal brace procedure less than two weeks before. The surgery, a way to repair his right elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), has a significantly shorter recovery than Tommy John surgery. Whereas the latter sidelines players for 12-18 months, the former could have Story ready to go in four to six months.
Less than two months after Winter Weekend, the veteran infielder began taking grounders at spring training.
“Trevor, he started taking grounders yesterday. He’s doing it again today with (Adalberto Mondesi),” Alex Cora told MLB.com’s Ian Browne on Friday. “That’s good. It gives you hope. If he’s not thinking about this year, then why take groundballs so soon?”
Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom can’t rule out Story missing the whole campaign, but the two-time Silver Slugger made it clear early in spring training that he expects to play this season.
Grounders are a significant step in that direction.
More injury updates
The Red Sox are “shooting” for Justin Turner being ready for Opening Day, Cora told Browne.
Turner was hit in the head by a pitch earlier this week, requiring over a dozen stitches. He’s already back in camp, but unable to play until the pitches are removed, which should be in two weeks.
Brayan Bello and Garrett Whitlock will each face live hitters for the first time on Saturday.
Defeated
The Red Sox were the last remaining undefeated team in spring training — and were on their longest spring training unbeaten streak against Major League opponents in franchise history — but the streak came to an end on Friday when the Blue Jays shut them out 2-0.
Every other team in their division has at least five losses, though.
Kluber for Opening Day?
Corey Kluber looked shaky at the beginning of his start on Friday, allowing a leadoff hit and issuing a rare walk. He then struck out the next three batters to walk off the mound clean.
Kluber stayed in the game until the fourth inning, but didn’t record an out. He gave up a leadoff single and a double before Cora made a pitching change.
Thus, the veteran righty’s day totaled three innings, two earned runs on five hits, and a pair of walks. He didn’t strike out another batter after those three in the first inning.
WBC notes
Masataka Yoshida, who likes to be called ‘Masa,’ went 3-for-3 with five RBI for Team Japan in their 13-4 victory over Team Korea on Friday. Team Japan is now 2-0.
Yu Chang, whom the Red Sox re-signed earlier in spring training, hit a two-out game-tying tworun homer for Chinese Taipei in the sixth inning. His team ultimately emerged victorious, beating Team Italy 11-7 for their first win of the tournament.
Former Red Sox infielder Tzu-Wei Lin also homered for Team CT in the bottom of the first.
Moreland retiring
This week, Mitch Moreland became the latest former Red Sox player to come to spring training and pinch-coach.
He also officially announced his retirement, so here’s a reminder that he deserves more appreciation for his contributions to the late-2010s teams.
Playing through a broken toe in 2017, Moreland ranked fourth on the roster in hits, runs, and total bases, third in games played, home runs, RBI, OPS, and walks, and second in doubles and slugging percentage.
He was quietly clutch, always good for an RBI double, earning the nickname “Mitchy Two-Bags,” and he was loudly clutch in the 2018 World Series when he entered the game as a pinch-hitter and blasted a two-out three-run homer to spark a comeback and turn the tables back in Boston’s favor.
Quick hits
Adam Duvall got his first hit of the spring on Friday. The veteran outfielder broke up a Blue Jays’ no-hitter with a single to left in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The spring of Raimel Tapia continues. After Duvall broke up the nohitter, Tapia singled (advancing Duvall to third), then stole second base. Entering Friday’s game, he was tied for the MLB lead in extra-base hits. .. Rob Refsnyder continues to get the job done. A sliding catch right by the left field stands got the Red Sox out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth. … Triston Casas came into Friday’s game leading the Grapefruit League in runs scored.