Happ back on mound after positive virus test
Eager for a fresh start with a new team, J.A. Happ needed to slow down before throwing a single pitch for the Minnesota Twins.
The left-hander tested positive for COVID-19 upon reporting to spring training, putting his practice schedule on hold.
Happ cleared virus protocols on Tuesday and took part in team workouts for the first time at camp in Fort Myers, Florida. The rest of the Twins played an exhibition game against Atlanta in North Port.
The 38-year-old Happ, who left the New York Yankees and signed in January with the Twins for $8 million this season, acknowledged feeling anxious about making up for the lost time and “pressing a little bit” in his bullpen session.
Happ said his senses of smell and taste have not yet returned, but beyond that he feels fine physically.
“It is strange. I make a protein smoothie every day, and I just remember one day waking up and I made that, and I just thought, ‘Did I make the wrong ingredients in here? It just doesn’t taste anywhere close,’” Happ said.
From around
Cactus Leagues:
Braves 6, Twins 0 (7): Travis d’Arnaud homered in his first spring at-bat and Ender Inciarte got two hits for Atlanta. Ian Anderson pitched two scoreless innings, allowing three hits and a walk.
Max Kepler and Byron Buxton each singled for Minnesota.
Cardinals 0, Marlins 0 (7): Adam Wainwright, back for his 16th season with St. Louis at age 39, looked as sharp as ever, pitching two perfect innings and striking out one. Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt each got one of the Cardinals’ four singles.
Mets 2, Astros 0 (7): Marcus Stroman, who opted out of playing last season because of coronavirus concerns, pitched two perfect innings for the Mets. He struck out two and threw 30 pitches.
New York newcomer James McCann made his spring debut behind the plate and threw out a runner trying to steal. Jeff McNeil hit a solo home run in his first at-bat and Albert Almora Jr. also connected. Jordan Yamamoto, acquired from Miami to compete for a starting job, threw two innings.
Yankees 4, Orioles 2 (7): Aaron Judge doubled and scored for New York. Gleyber Torres had two hits, scoring a run. Jordan Montgomery allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in two innings.
Trey Mancini had a sacrifice fly in his second game since missing last season recovering from surgery for colon cancer. Cedric Mullins tripled and singled for Baltimore, scoring a run and driving in one.
Blue Jays 4, Phillies 2 (6):
the
Grapefruit
and
Steven
Matz allowed a hit in two scoreless innings, striking out three without a walk. Toronto got him from the Mets for three pitching prospects in the offseason. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a solo homer for the Blue Jays.
Zack Wheeler threw two scoreless innings for Philadelphia, giving up one hit.
RED SOX 9, RAYS 3: J.D. Martinez, who vowed to bounce back from a 2020 season that saw him bat just .213 in 54 games, singled twice in three trips and scored a run for Boston.
Enrique Hernandez hit a solo home run and walked twice. Rafael Devers and Yairo Munoz both hit two-run homers for the Red Sox. Martin Perez pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit.
Tigers 6, Pirates 1 (5): Willi Castro hit a solo homer and a two-run double and JaCoby Jones added a two-run double for Detroit.
Todd Frazier hit his second home run for Pittsburgh.
Cubs 3, Royals 2 (7): Outfielder Rafael Ortega, who signed a minor league deal with Chicago after playing 34 games for Atlanta last season, hit a bases-loaded triple. Adbert Alzolay, competing for the final rotation spot, pitched a perfect inning in his first start.
Kansas City starter Jacob Junis struck out three in two shutout innings. Newcomer Andrew Benintendi went 0 for 3.
White Sox 5, Rangers 5 (6): White Sox ace Lucas Giolito struck out four in his first start, yielding Ronald Guzman’s solo home run in two innings.
AL MVP José Abreu hit an RBI double. Designated hitter Andrew Vaughn, Chicago’s top prospect, hit a three-run homer off Texas starter Kohei Arihara in the first inning.
Indians 6, Mariners 1 (8): Josh Naylor drove in three runs with a pair of doubles for Cleveland. Andres Gimenez, who came over from the Mets in the trade from Francisco Lindor, has yet to be retired this spring – he went 2 for 2 for the second straight game, including his first home run.
Athletics 2, Brewers 1 (7): Christian Yelich doubled in his first action for Milwaukee. Travis Shaw had an RBI single.
Ramon Laureano tripled for Oakland and his replacement, Buddy Reed, homered for the second time this spring.