Greinke ‘pretty good’ in first spring start
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — As he does with everything, Zack Greinke views spring training through a realistic prism.
His start Saturday against the New York Mets was “not important at all,” according to Greinke, who focuses on only one thing while in camp.
“As long as I’m ready when the season comes, that’s really all that matters,” Greinke said. “I could have thrown all balls today and it still wouldn’t matter. I just have to get better by the next month. That’s the goal.”
Greinke mixed some strikes in Saturday for good measure. He tossed 20 pitches and recorded one strikeout. Michael Conforto lined a single against him and Pete Alonso mashed a poorlylocated slider into the right-field corner for a run-scoring double.
“Threw it pretty good,” Greinke said. “Overall OK, not good. Not better than good, that’s for sure.”
Greinke said he’s experimenting with elevating his fastball — a staple of the Astros and pitching coach Brent Strom — and acknowledged he may “try to do it a little bit more if it works.” The 37-year-old veteran thought his fastball command was pedestrian Saturday but reported no other issues from his short outing.
“I feel really good,” Greinke said. “Healthy. Ball is coming out pretty good. I’m not in season form or midseason form, but I guess at this point of spring, those are the keys: being healthy and the ball coming out good enough.”
Whitley dealing with sore arm
Top Astros pitching prospect Forrest Whitley is “ailing a bit” with a sore arm, manager Dusty Baker revealed Saturday.
“He threw the other day in a simulated game and he came up a little sore,” Baker said. “We’re analyzing him now and trying to figure out how to get him back out there or if he needs to rest.”
Baker offered no other details but said after the team’s 6-1 Grapefruit League loss to the Mets that Whitley was still being evaluated by physicians.
Whitley suffered a forearm strain last season at the Astros’ alternate training site, but upon reporting to spring training, said “everything is cleaned up” and proclaimed himself healthy. Whitley said he did not have surgery this offseason. He even estimated he could contribute anywhere from 140 to 160 innings this season.
News of Whitley’s soreness arrives as the Astros are trying to build more depth in their starting rotation. Framber Valdez’s fractured left ring finger may keep him out for a while and, with a strong spring showing, Whitley could’ve vaulted himself onto the major league radar. Houston added Whitley to its 40man roster this offseason.
When he reported to spring training, the 23year-old Whitley acknowledged some frustration over his career arc.
Last year, 10 rookie pitchers made their major league debuts. Whitley was not among them.
“I’ve felt pretty close to the big leagues before and have had some things pop up before that,” Whitley said earlier in camp. “But for sure, you definitely got a little bit jealous when you see your friends out there competing and you’re hurt. There’s nothing you can do about it.”
Once touted as the sport’s top pitching prospect, Whitley waded through three lost seasons — due in equal parts to injury, ineffectiveness and a drug suspension. He had a 12.21 ERA in Class AAA Round Rock during the 2019 season before he was shut down and sent to West Palm Beach for what the team termed a “season reset.”