Taylor in the shortstop rotation
Wednesday marked the first time Chris Taylor
played shortstop for the Dodgers this spring, and it won’t be the last.
A day after the Dodgers announced Gavin Lux
would sit out the season because of a torn ACL, Taylor was moved to shortstop for the Dodgers’ spring training visit to the Texas Rangers.
Manager Dave Roberts
said shortstop duties will be split between Taylor and Miguel Rojas to begin the season. Rojas will be the primary option, but the Dodgers are planning to rotate Taylor in from the outfield to play shortstop about 20% to 25% of the time, Roberts said.
“Everything is kind of trending in the right direction as far as arm strength, the health is there,” Roberts said.
In Wednesday’s exhibition, it was the first outing of the spring for Dustin May.
After battling an inconsistent delivery in his return from Tommy John surgery last year, when May had a 4.50 ERA in six big league starts, the hard-throwing right-hander lighted up the radar gun during the Dodgers’ rain-shortened 4-2 win over the Texas Rangers.
May gave up one run in 12⁄3 innings, striking out three and walking two. His fastball was sitting at 97-98 mph, already close to what he averaged last season.
In their first meeting against left-hander Andrew Heaney since he signed with the Texas Rangers this offseason, two Dodgers hitters took the ex-Dodgers pitcher deep.
Mookie Betts led off the game with a home run to left field against Heaney. An inning later, Jason Heyward also hit a big fly against Heaney — who had a 3.10 ERA with the Dodgers last year but also gave up 14 home runs in 722⁄3 innings.
— Jack Harris
Angels hold on
Brandon Drury and Anthony Rendon each had a hit and an RBI in the Angels’ 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Mesa, Ariz. Mike Trout also went one for two with a run scored. Rendon has three RBIs this spring.
Sale on track
Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale probably will make his Grapefruit League debut next week.
Sale, 33, was limited to two starts last year and 11 starts in all since 2020 because of health issues. He arrived at spring training with no limitations.
Etc.
New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu went one for two against Washington in his first game since being sidelined last September by a right toe injury . ... The Kansas City Royals signed veteran outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, where he will have an opportunity to earn playing time in a wide-open outfield.