A's Kaprielian impresses in his first start of spring
James Kaprielian took another positive step toward beginning the season in the A's starting rotation with a solid spring training debut Sunday.
Kaprielian, who had offseason shoulder surgery, started the A's 8-6 split-squad win over the San Diego Padres and threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings, with all five of his outs coming on strikeouts. The 29-year-old righthander gave up one hit and walked three while throwing 43 pitches during his one time through a Padres lineup full of backups at Hohokam Park in Mesa, Ariz.
Kaprielian showed good velocity — his fastball was 94-96 mph and touched 97 — but his command was a bit off. His encouraging start came four days after a simulated game and showed he's well on his way back to reclaiming a rotation spot he held for most of last season, when he went 5-9 with a 4.23 ERA in 26 starts.
The A's suffered a 4-3 loss to the Giants in another split-squad game Sunday, but Oakland received a strong performance from left-hander JP Sears, who worked five strong innings, allowing three hits, one walk and striking out six. He's now walked two and struck out 15 this spring. Sears' only blemish was Wilmer Flores' two-run homer in the fourth inning.
After Sunday's games, the A's announced 10 cuts, including infielder Jonah Bride and outfielder JJ Bleday, each of whom hit their first spring homer against San Diego on Sunday. Bleday, acquired from Miami in the AJ Puk trade, is slashing .286/.375/.429 this spring.
Like Bride and Bleday, infielder Jordan Diaz, first baseman Dermis Garcia, outfielder Lawrence Butler and left-hander Hogan Harris were optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas. The A's reassigned four non-roster invitees to minor league camp — catcher Yohel Pozo, outfielder Trenton Brooks, left-hander Garrett Williams and right-hander Jasseel De La Cruz. PADRES' MELVIN PONDERS SIX-MAN ROTATION >> The San Diego Padres are flirting with the idea of beginning the season with a sixman pitching rotation.
Settling on an opening day starter, though, may not be as easy a decision for manager Bob Melvin.
With Joe Musgrove sidelined by a toe injury and Yu Darvish pitching for Japan in the World Baseball Classic, Melvin is exploring options that could include Blake Snell or Michael Wacha.
Musgrove, who's on the mend after dropping a weight on his left big toe, is set to throw a bullpen session today.
And while he has made progress in his recovery since having the nail taken off the toe, there's no guarantee he'll be ready for the March 30 opener against the Colorado Rockies.
If Musgrove doesn't suffer a setback, though, there's a chance he could be inserted at the rear of the proposed six-man rotation the Padres are considering because they are scheduled to begin the season with a stretch of 24 games in 25 days.
Darvish figures to be worked into the back end of the rotation, too, because he is pitching in the WBC and potentially could start the deciding game on March 20.
Shohei Ohtani hit a 448foot, three-run home run in the first inning and had four RBIs to lead Japan over Australia 7-1 Sunday night at the World Baseball Classic.
Japan, already assured of advancement, finished off a 4-0 run in Group B and will play a quarterfinal on Wednesday against Italy, which advanced along with Cuba from Group A on tiebreakers after all five teams finished with 2-2 records.
Ohtani turned on a hanging curveball from loser Will Sherriff, who didn't even watch the flight of the ball into the Tokyo Dome's right-field seats. It was the first home run of the tournament for Ohtani, who is 6 for 12 with eight RBIs and seven walks. He walked with the bases loaded in the sixth.
Winner Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out eight in four scoreless innings, allowing one hit and no walks. The 24-year-old right-hander was the Pacific League's MVP for the Orix Buffaloes in 2021 and 2022, and pitched a no-hitter last June 22 against the Saitama Seibu Lions.
Robbie Perkins was the only Australia batter to reach against Yamamato, on a one-out single in the third.
CANADA 18, GREAT BRITAIN 8, 7 INNINGS >> Tyler O'Neill had four hits and four RBIs, Freddie Freeman added two hits and Canada (1-0) beat Great Britain (0-2) in a Pool C game in Phoenix.
The game lasted just seven innings because the WBC has a mercy rule during pool play. If one team is leading by 10 or more runs after an inning following the seventh, the game is over.
Canada scored in every inning, including five runs in the first, four in the third and six more in the fourth.
Great Britain took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but had a tough afternoon on the pitcher's mound, giving up 17 hits and 16 walks.
ISRAEL 3, NICARAGUA 1 >> Israel (1-0) overcame a 1-0 deficit with a three-run eighth inning to defeat Nicaragua, which dropped its second game of Group D pool play in Miami.
Garrett Stubbles hit a bases-loaded, go-ahead double in the eighth that scored Spencer Horwitz and Noah Mendlinger to make it 3-1.
ITALY 7, NETHERLANDS 1 >> In Taichung, Taiwan, Italian players had to wait a few minutes after the final out to find out they advanced with Cuba while the Netherlands, Taiwan and Panama were eliminated. The group was decided by runs allowed divided by outs, and Cuba (15/108, .139) finished first, followed by Italy (17/108, .157), Netherlands (19/102, .186), Panama (21/105, .200) and Taiwan (31/105, .295).
Italy burst ahead with a six-run fourth capped by Nicky Lopez's two-run triple.
Matt Harvey allowed one run and two hits in four innings with three strikeouts for Italy, managed by Mike Piazza.
CUBA 7, TAIWAN 1 >> Cuba got home runs from Yoán Moncada of the Chicago White Sox and Erisbel Arruebarrena.
Cuba broke out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning on a double by Alfredo Despaigne that scored Moncada and White Sox teammate Luis Robert. Arruebarrena's two-run homer later in the inning made it 4-0.
Cuba starter Elian Leyva pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the win, striking out four.