Shoemaker returns from liner to head
Angels right-hander expected to be in rotation mix.
Matt Shoemaker is the player people are happiest to see this spring in the Los Angeles Angels’ camp.
It wasn’t clear Shoemaker would make it here.
On Sept. 4 in Seattle, the Mariners’ Kyle Seager ripped a line drive up the middle — clocked at 105 mph as it left his bat — that struck Shoemaker above his right ear. Though Shoemaker walked off the field, he had to undergo emergency surgery after tests showed a skull fracture and bleeding in his brain.
His recovery took several weeks, but, otherwise, Shoemaker said he had a quiet, productive offseason.
“The good thing is that it was just a little different, just that first month being home through the recovery from the surgery. Other than that, everything was the same, getting all my work in and preparing for this season,” the right-hander said.
Shoemaker said he is in the “experimentation stage” of wearing hats that offer some level of protection but hasn’t made a final decision.
For now, manager Mike Scioscia said, Shoemaker will wear a piece of composite material in his hat when he pitches.
Shoemaker finished 9-13 with a 3.88 ERA last season.
Though the Angels have yet to announce a rotation for this season, Shoemaker is expected to be near the top.
Cubs: Reliever Pedro Strop agreed to a contract adding $6.35 million in guaranteed money through 2018, a deal that includes a club option for 2019. Strop agreed this month to a $5.5 million, one-year contract. Strop, 31, went 2-2 with a 2.85 ERA in 54 appearances last season with the Cubs.
Reds: Dilson Herrera has inflammation in his right shoulder and will not throw for a couple days, taking the Colombian infielder out of the World Baseball Classic and hurting his chances for making the Reds. Herrera, who turns 23 Friday, also experienced shoulder soreness for parts of last season, including during spring training. He said it started bothering him again about a week ago. The Reds acquired Herrera when they traded Jay Bruce to the Mets last summer. Reds manager Bryan Price said Herrera probably won’t throw again until Monday or Tuesday. “He’ll DH (today). He’s fine to hit,” Price said Friday. “But he’s not OK to defend and throw.”
Nationals: Catcher Matt Wieters said he severely cut his left wrist by breaking a five-gallon glass water container in his garage Nov. 1, delaying his offseason preparation — and, he thinks, his chance to find a deal in free
agency. “It’s tough finding a team when you can’t do anything baseball-related,” Wieters said Friday. The former Orioles All-Star catcher agreed to a $21 million, twoyear deal with the Nationals this week.
Braves: Former NFL and Georgia defensive back Sanders Commings, 26, agreed to a minor league deal. An outfielder, Commings was drafted out of high school by the Diamondbacks but chose to play college football at Georgia. Commings was a fifth-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2013 NFL draft. He was released after two injury plagued seasons and turned his attention to baseball.
Indians: Outfielder Michael Brantley participated in regular batting practice for the first time in training camp Friday, a significant step in his latest comeback from a shoulder injury. “He looks real good,” batting coach Ty Van Burkleo said. “If you didn’t know he was rehabbing, you’d think he was just getting ready for the day. The ball’s coming off his bat nicely.”
Dodgers: Ace Clayton Kershaw will throw one inning against the White Sox in today’s Cactus League opener, manager Dave Roberts said. The Dodgers have lined up the rotation so Rich Hill will start Sunday and Kenta Maeda will start Monday. The final two spots in the rotation are a competition between seven pitchers.