Reds’ Arroyo hit in face by throw
Cincinnati Reds righthander Bronson Arroyo said he is OK after being hit in the face by a throw from catcher Devin Mesoraco that forced him to leave a spring training game Saturday against the Texas Rangers.
“I wasn't feeling so hot when I was out there, and if I had finished that inning, it was still burning like crazy,” Arroyo said. “If that's regular season, you can't come out of the game for that. You just can’t.”
With a 1-and-2 count with two outs in the second inning in Goodyear, Arizona, Rangers right fielder Drew Robinson took off on a delayed steal of second and Mesoraco’s throw from behind the plate hit Arroyo on the left side of his face. Arroyo said it hit him half in the jaw, half in the neck.
Arroyo immediately jogged out to the outfield and was met by trainers and manager Bryan Price. After several minutes, he was handed the ball by home plate umpire Stu Scheurwater, but after walking toward the mound, he turned toward the Reds’ dugout.
Arroyo was examined by the team’s trainer, Steve Baumann, as well as a team doctor. After clearing tests for a concussion, he returned to throw 20 long-toss throws to finish his work for the day.
“It would have been nice to finish the inning,” Arroyo said. “I told them to let me just get one last hitter and get out of here. But you know, there's plenty of time to still get built up.”
Arroyo, 40, is one of seven pitchers in competition for the two open spots in the team’s rotation.
“I feel bad. I don’t think anybody wants Bronson to make the team more than me," Mesoraco said. "He didn’t get a chance to go out there and show and get his innings in.”
Brantley keeps working; knees bother Naquin
Michael Brantley's second minor league game was uneventful. He went 0 for 3 with a walk Saturday morning at the Cleveland Indians' spring training complex in Goodyear, Arizona.
The left fielder has been continually testing his surgically repaired right shoulder this spring to see if it can stand a season's worth of swinging the bat.
The next logical step would be to play in Cactus League games. Bench coach Brad Mills said he wouldn't be surprised if that happened with spring training past the halfway point.
Brantley seemed pleased with his progress afterward.
"I'm doing very well," he said. "I'm very happy where I'm at."
Meanwhile, center fielder Tyler Naquin was scratched from Saturday's lineup with soreness in his knees. He also has been nursing a sore right foot, but it appears the knees are more of a concern now.
Tigers' Martinez suffers foot injury
Detroit Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez suffered a sprained right foot making a shoestring catch Saturday and is expected to be out several days.
The 29-year-old was hurt as he came running in for a fly ball against Miami. Martinez said he rolled his foot, causing him to tumble.
X-rays were negative, but Martinez likely will be out of the lineup until late next week.