Spring training notes by Maureen Mullen
Baltimore Orioles
Right-hander Chris Tillman received a cortisone shot in his shoulder last week, and two days later he said he felt better. He could begin long toss Wednesday.
“I was even feeling better before I got the injection, but just kind of felt like everyone was recommending it, so I do it,” Tillman said. “Even the two or three days before the injection, I felt much, much better.”
Tillman received a platelet-rich plasma injection in December. He had been ruled out from being ready to make his fourth consecutive opening-day start, and he’s not expected to be ready by April 15, when the Orioles will need a fifth starter. Pedro Alvarez played his first game in right field Saturday and handled his only chance, a fly ball. “He has to trust his instincts,” manager Buck Showal-ter said. “He’s been catching fly balls since he was 4 or 5 years old. Was a good day for him.”
Boston Red Sox
Though it wasn’t exactly a surprise, manager John Farrell waited until last week to announce that right-hander Rick
Porcello, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, would start on opening day against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Fenway Park.
David Price and newcomer Chris Sale had said Porcello should get the honor.
“We had three candidates who were certainly worthy and capable,” Farrell said. “But I think there’s a lot to be said for the year in which Rick has had previous, the leader that he’s become on our team and the dependable pitcher that he is.” Right- hander Tyler Thornburg was acquired in the offseason to be the setup man, but he has struggled this spring and has been sidelined since March 1 while building arm strength. Right-hander Joe Kelly could take over the setup role to start the season.
New York Yankees
Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka did not allow a run in his first four Grapefruit League starts. But his best outing yet came Fri- day, when he and two other pitchers combined on a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers.
Tanaka had six strikeouts and allowed two walks in his 41⁄ hitless innings, bringing his spring totals to three hits, two walks and 19 strikeouts in 131⁄ innings.
“I feel like I’ve been pitching well this spring training. On top of that, the results have been there,” he said. “I think everything is going on the right track for me.”
Left- hander CC Sabathia, for one, doesn’t buy the popular notion that the Yankees’ rotation is suspect.
“I think we’re going to surprise some people,” Sabathia said. “I think, obviously, we’ve got the talent in the room. It’s just us putting it together, staying healthy and going out to make all our starts.”
Tampa Bay Rays
Right-hander Brad Boxberger, who has not pitched this spring because of a back issue, threw live batting practice Saturday and said it went well.
He expects to be ready by open- ing day. If not, look for Austin
Pruitt or Jaime Schultz, both right-handers, to begin the season in the big leagues. As impressive as rookie Jake Bauers has been with the bat — and he has been very impressive with several tape-measure home runs — the Rays have been impressed by his ability to work an at-bat.
The infielder-outfielder drew five consecutive walks over two games before crushing a ball off the building behind right field at Charlotte Sports Park. He followed that with a walk his next time up.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays’ rotation is set, barring injury, but non-roster invitee and longtime major league starter Mat Latos said he would accept any assignment, including the minor leagues.
“Whatever I need to do is whatever I need to do,” Latos told MLB.com. “Hopefully this message gets out so nobody asks me anymore, but I do what I have to do. If they send me to (Class AAA) Buffalo, they send me to Buffalo. If they have me here for long relief, they have me here for long relief.
“Fifth starter, left-handed specialist (he’s right-handed), whatever it is they ask me to do is what they’re going to ask me to do. I’m going to set a game plan, and I’m going to execute my game plan whether it’s in the bullpen, Triple-A, Double-A, (Class) A or I’m stuck down in rookie ball. Whatever I have to do.”
In one of the quirks of spring training, it is fairly common to see big-leaguers playing in minor league games, with rules that are special for them. Third baseman Josh Don
aldson, rehabbing a calf injury, has been playing in minor league games to get at-bats but has had strict instructions to not run the bases. So when he hit a recent home run, he simply walked back to the dugout. He was getting close to being ready for Grapefruit League games.