Limits on shifts yield early results
The early returns on Major League Baseball’s decision to restrict shifts are promising.
Runs and batting average were both up through the first wave of games compared to spring training a year ago. Players were hitting .272 through Feb. 28, with an average of 11.9 runs scored. That’s up from a batting average of .259 and 10.6 runs through the same period in 2022.
The uptick in offense does not appear to be affecting pace of play, thanks in large part to the introduction of the pitch clock. The average game time through Feb. 28 was 2 hours, 39 minutes. That’s down from 3:01 over the same stretch last spring training.
Umpires remain aggressive in enforcing timing rules. Cleveland shortstop Jose Tena was called out for not engaging the pitcher until there were less than 8 seconds left on the clock.
Red Sox’s Sale is nearing debut
Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale will likely make his Grapefruit League debut next week.
The seven-time All-Star threw 43 pitches over two innings of batting practice on Wednesday. Boston manager Alex Cora told reporters that Sale should be cleared to work between two and three innings in a game sometime next week.
Sale, a 33-year-old starter, was limited to just a pair of starts last year and 11 starts in total since 2020 due to a variety of health issues. Sale arrived at spring training with no limitations, though Boston is taking the lefthander’s ramp-up slowly in hopes of avoiding any setbacks.
Phillies’ Painter stars in 1st start
The stage hardly looked too big for pitcher Andrew Painter.
The hard-throwing Philadelphia Phillies prospect’s fastball touched 99 mph in his spring training debut against Minnesota on Wednesday. The 19-yearold allowed one run and three hits with a strikeout in two innings, a solid first step as he attempts to crack Philadelphia's starting rotation before his 20th birthday on April 10.
The 6-foot-7 Painter showcased a little bit of why the Phillies are so high on him. The 13th overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft nearly reached 100 on the radar gun while facing Carlos Correa in the first inning.
Yanks’ LeMahieu returns pain-free
New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu went 1-for-2 against Washington in his first game since being sidelined last September by a right toe injury.
He singled off the leftfield wall in the third and played four innings at second base. More importantly, LeMahieu enjoyed his pain-free at-bats since the middle of last season.
“I’m excited about that,” LeMahieu said. “Excited to keep it going. I’ve been feeling good, and I expected it to stay that way.”
LeMahieu was limited to 125 regular-season games and missed the playoffs. He finished the season with a .261 batting average, his lowest since 2011.