Cortes emerges pain-free from start
Yankees’ LHP goes 2.2 innings against Twins
Nestor Cortes wasn’t exactly nasty in his first spring training appearance, but the New York Yankees left-handed emerged from Monday’s game against Minnesota feeling good.
After an injury-marred 2023, it’s a start.
“Everything positive, pitches really crisp,” Cortes said after allowing two runs and seven hits with four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. “And most important, got out of there healthy. So a big step forward.”
Cortes went 5-2 with a 4.97 ERA in 12 games last year and made just one start after May 30 while dealing with a rotator cuff injury.
Yankees third baseman DJ Lemahieu made his spring training debut and stayed in the game after taking a bad hop infield RBI single by Jair Camargo off the face in the third.
Lemahieu said he was fine after the ball hit his glasses near his nose.
Lemahieu singled in two at-bats. He was slowed by a foot injury in 2023 and hit just .243.
“I feel good,” Lemahieu said. “Good to be out there today. I felt good running. Been feeling really good swinging. Just moving better. I feel prepared and I have a good foundation, and ready to keep building for the long haul.”
Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes delivers a pitch during the first inning of Monday’s spring training game against the Twins in Tampa, Fla.
The Yankees Giancarlo Stanton went 0 for 3 as the designated hitter in his first game after another injurymarred season.
Sho-time on Tues., Yamomoto on Weds.
Shohei Ohtani will make his exhibition debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers when he serves as the designated hitter for Los Angeles on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox.
Los Angeles has been taking it slowly with the two-way star, who signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract during the offseason. The two-time MVP is coming off right elbow surgery last September that will keep him from pitching this year.
Ohtani did take live batting practice on Sunday, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts saying the sport’s biggest star looked “good.”
The 29-year-old Ohtani is
further along in his recovery than Los Angeles anticipated, and the team hopes he will be available when the Dodgers and the San Diego Padres open the regular season by playing a twogame series in Seoul, South Korea, on March 20 and 21.
“Most importantly is his health,” Roberts told reporters. “So if it lines up, great. And if it doesn’t, then we’ll still move on from there.”
The Dodgers also announced that right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto is scheduled to make his first appearance on Wednesday against the Rangers.
Montgomery to Boston?
The Boston Red Sox have touched base with free agent left-hander Jordan Montgomery as they search for another starting pitcher, preferably one that can fit in at or near the top of the rotation.
Manager Alex Cora confirmed an ESPN report that the Red Sox held a video conference meeting with Montgomery “recently” but declined to get into specifics.
Phillies trio to make debut Wednesday
Bryce Harper, catcher J.T. Realmuto and third baseman Alec Bohm are expected to make their initial spring training appearances on Wednesday when Philadelphia hosts Atlanta.
Harper is transitioning to first base full-time after moving there last year when he returned from Tommy John surgery. Bohm has been slowed by a neck problem.
Though the No. 8 vs. No. 9 matchup could expect to produce a close game, the Golden Eagles finished with a flourish in beating the Bison in the second round — their 19th win of the season. The Golden Eagles, seeded eighth, will be tasked with facing off against topseeded Air Academy (24-1) on Friday afternoon.
The Pumas will continue their season in the 4A quarterfinals, and will be challenged to halt another local team’s progress as they’re set to face Holy Family on Saturday. They earned that right by beating the Sun Devils. Alexandra Eschmeyer was responsible for scoring an astounding 32of her team’s 50 total points, having made 10 of her 12 free throws, and hitting two 3-pointers.
The Jaguars’ pair of Elsa Nygren and Rylin Chichirico led their team with four points apiece at Resurrection Christian, and seven players scored overall, but it was an uphill battle against the Cougars. While RCS won its 16thstraight game, Jefferson Academy finished its season 16-9 after being unable to catch up to the Cougars’ 12-point lead at the half. And from the boys off Saturday play:
Broomfield’s season came to a close with an 18-7 record, coming up short on the long trip to the Western Slope to face front-runner Fruita Monument. Despite putting together a better second half offensively, the Eagles found themselves unable to close the 11-point lead the Wildcats had created in the first.
Like Broomfield, Legacy finished its season with an
Longmont’s season came to a close with a 16-9record after a loss to top-seeded Northfield on the Nighthawks’ home court. Suge Valles led the Trojans in scoring with seven points, followed by teammates Cole Corner and Joey Foot, who each scored six. Longmont found itself only down 25-18at half, but Northfield put the clamps on defensively and limited LHS’S opportunities in the remaining half of play.
The Raptors went into the second half at home trailing visiting DRHS 38-30, but couldn’t string together stops over the second half of play and ended the season 20-5. Silver Creek’s Ashoka Surkhang totaled 19 points, which included a pair of 3-pointers and going 7 for 8 at the free throw line, while teammate Gabe Selby knocked down shots in his way to 16 points.
Peak to Peak hit four 3-pointers in the first half to keep within striking distance of the hosts, the Pumas couldn’t chip away at the 24-16 halftime gap and eventually couldn’t find their range, either. The Mustangs pulled ahead in the third and fourth quarters, ending the Pumas’ season at 15-10.
The Holy Family offense started slow, as the host Pirates jumped out to an 11-point lead at 24-13. The Tigers made a fourth-quarter push, led by Jayden Watts and Roman Elliott, to climb within four points of PSHS, but a 30% shooting clip for the game kept the Tigers on the wrong side of the score. Holy Family’s season came to a close with a record of 14-11.