Red Sox pitcher Price injured to start the season
Boston Red Sox left-hander David Price is likely to start the season on the disabled list because of a sore elbow.
Starting the second season of a $217 million, seven-year contract, Price has not yet appeared in an exhibition game.
“I think at this point, yeah, it would be hard to see him ready to go at the start of the season,” manager John Farrell said Tuesday at Boston’s camp in Fort Myers, Florida. “We really won’t have any kind of idea until he gets on the mound the first time and right now, I don’t know when that’s going to be.”
The AL East champions had hoped for a formidable rotation headed by Price, Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello and Chris Sale, acquired in December from the Chicago White Sox.
Price, the 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner with Tampa Bay, was 17-9 with a 3.99 ERA last year. He felt discomfort in his left elbow following a twoinning simulated game on Feb. 28.
Drs. James Andrews and Neal ElAttrache said Price would not need surgery or an injection but should take antiinflammatory medication and rest his arm. Price started throwing on Saturday, making 25 tosses into a net, and has thrown each day since.
ROCKY ROAD
Colorado starting catcher Tom Murphy will miss four to six weeks with a hairline fracture in his right forearm.
Manager Bud Black said Murphy broke his arm Saturday in a game against the Cubs when he was hit by Anthony Rizzo’s bat while throwing to second base on a steal attempt.
Murphy is in a splint but won’t need surgery, Black said.
AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUES
RED SOX 5, BLUE JAYS 4
Mitch Moreland hit a tworun double for Boston. Starter Drew Pomeranz gave up two runs on two hits over two innings.
Melvin Upton Jr. hit his first spring homer for Toronto.
PHILLIES 9, BRAVES 0
Brock Stassi hit his fifth homer — tying Bryce Harper, Yoenis Cespedes and Jabari Blash for most in spring training — and tripled for Philadelphia. Starter Jerad Eickhoff struck out five in five shutout innings and allowed three hits and a walk. Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph left the game after getting hit with a pitch in the left hand in the first inning.
METS 2, ASTROS 1
Yoenis Cespedes hit his fifth homer and Jacob deGrom struck out six in four innings, allowing a run on three hits and a walk.
TIGERS 7, MARLINS 1
Detroit starter Matt Boyd went five shutout innings, giving up three hits and striking out five. Justin Upton hit a three-run homer, Anthony Gose had two hits and drove in two runs and J.D. Martinez added two hits.