Oakland’s Cotton out for the season
Jharel Cotton had planned to build off a promising rookie campaign for the Oakland Athletics. He'll have to wait another year. The 26-year-old righty will undergo elbow surgery and not pitch in 2018, a setback for a young club trying to improve on a last-place finish.
"It's tough. I'm missing the 2018 season with my boys, so it's kind of hard to take. I'm trying to take it as best as I can and just get ready for the long process, the long road that's ahead," Cotton said Saturday.
Cotton had been diagnosed with a sprain and had a second scan Friday, then was told he would need Tommy John surgery.
Cotton was 9-10 with a 5.58 ERA average in 24 starts. This spring, he had a 3.75 ERA in four exhibitions, striking out 16 in 12 innings.
"Unfortunate. Just of him having to go through what a lot of guys have to go through," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "But we felt like he was on the cusp of really coming into his own and it's going to be delayed a year, unfortunately."
The A's figure to go into the 2018 season with Kendall Graveman, Sean Manaea and Daniel Mengden in the rotation. Paul Blackburn and Andrew Triggs also have made starts in spring training games, as has prized prospect A.J. Puk.
Tigers 9, Yankees 3
Masahiro Tanaka continued to struggle in his third start for New York, pitching 2 2/3 innings and allowing four runs on four hits and a walk, striking out six.
Miguel Cabrera and Leonys Martin homered for Detroit and Victor Martinez finished Tanaka's day with an RBI single.
Matthew Boyd, in the mix for the Tigers' final rotation spot, tossed three innings and gave up three runs on five hits and two walks, striking out five.
Luis Severino will start the New York Yankees' regular-season opener March 29th at Toronto. Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced the news Saturday.
Severino was third in the AL Cy Young Award voting after going 146 with a 2.98 ERA in 31 starts last season. Severino will be followed in the rotation by Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia, Sonny Grey and Jordan Montgomery.
Red Sox 4, Rays 3
Sam Travis hit a three-run homer for Boston, the fourth time he's connected this spring. Mitch Moreland added a solo shot. Brad Miller, playing for the first time since Feb. 23 because of a broken toe, doubled twice for Tampa Bay.
Mets 9, Nationals 7
Adam Eaton homered in his first game for Washington since tearing his knee last April. Bryce Harper had a hit from the leadoff spot. Nationals starter Tanner Roark gave up three runs on four hits and three walks in three innings.
Wilmer Flores had three hits, including his second home run, for New York. Jay Bruce doubled and singled.