OHTANI NOT DAZZLING IN PITCHING DEBUT
ARIZ.» Shohei Ohtani TEMPE, didn’t quite dazzle in his spring pitching debut with the Los Angeles Angels.
Maybe things will change when he swings the bat for the first time in a Cactus League game.
The star two-way player from Japan had mixed results in his first big-league mound appearance Saturday, when he allowed a home run and didn’t make it through his scheduled two innings in a 6-5 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The 23-year-old right-hander threw some nice pitches, including a fastball clocked at 97 mph, and a curveball that came across at 69 mph.
But he also struggled with his fastball command in allowing two runs, one earned, and two hits in 1L innings. Keon Broxton tagged him for a home run leading off the second inning.
“Besides the results, I mean, I had a lot of fun out there, so I think it went all well,” Ohtani said through a translator.
He struck out two and walked one. He threw 31 pitches, 17 for strikes.
Ohtani didn’t hit — he wasn’t in manager Mike Scioscia’s batting order.
Free agents still unsigned.
FLA.» Nearly two
FORT MYERS, full weeks into spring training, dozens of accomplished free agents around the major leagues are still unsigned.
There’s a new rule limiting visits to the mound too, creating at least some early confusion about how to keep track.
So while their collective bargaining agreement runs through four more seasons, players have been expressing more frustration with owners lately than usual during an offseason marked by increased tension between the sides.
“The goal of collective bargaining is not labor peace. It’s a fair and equitable deal. Fifteen months in, we’re seeing things that we’ve never seen before, and that raises concerns,” union leader Tony Clark said. “We’ll have to figure out in the near term and in the longer term how those concerns can be addressed, because invariably if they are affecting the industry adversely, everybody should have that concern.”
Tampa Bay prospect to have surgery.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Tampa Bay top pitching prospect Brent Honeywell has a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm and will have Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for the season.
The 22-year-old righthander was hurt during a live batting practice session Thursday at spring training.
He was diagnosed with a strained forearm before further tests confirmed the severity of the injury. Honeywell says he will seek a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews even though he intends to have the operation.
One of the top young prospects in baseball, Honeywell was 12-8 with a 3.64 ERA in 24 starts for Triple-a Durham last season.
Footnotes. The Reds have signed left-handed pitcher Oliver Perez to a minor-league contract. Perez spent the past two seasons with the Washington Nationals. He made 50 appearances with the Nationals last year, pitching 33 innings with a 4.64 ERA. … Former all-star outfielder Michael Saunders has ended his twoday stay with Pittsburgh, instead seeking a better chance to play with the Royals. Saunders signed a minor-league contract and will receive $1.5 million if he is put on the big league roster. He could earn another $500,000 in performance bonuses. … The Twins signed 12-year veteran shortstop Erick Aybar to a minorleague contract with an invitation to major-league spring training. … Left-hander Kevin Siegrist agreed to a minorleague contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates and will report to big-league spring training.