Ohtani struggles in 1st pitching start
Japanese two-way player Shohei Ohtani struggled in his Cactus League debut with the Angels, allowing a home run and lasting a few batters less than scheduled in Los Angeles’ 6-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday in Tempe, Ariz.
Ohtani, 23, allowed two runs, one earned, and two hits in 11⁄3 innings. Keon Broxton tagged him for a home run leading off the second inning.
Ohtani, who struck out two and walked one, threw 31 pitches, 17 for strikes.
“Besides the results, I mean, I had a lot of fun out there, so I think it went all well,” Ohtani said through a translator.
More exhibition highlights: Collin McHugh struck out five in two innings for the defending champion Astros in a 6-1 win over the Braves. Yuli Gurriel homered and Marwin Gonzalez had two hits for Houston . ... Phillies third baseman Will Middlebrooks was carted off the field after injuring his ankle when he collided with left fielder Andrew Pullin chasing a flyball. Philadelphia beat a split-squad of Orioles 9-6, as Jorge Alfaro hit a grand slam off
Baltimore’s Dylan Bundy.
Union concerns: Nearly two full weeks into spring training, dozens of accomplished free agents are still unsigned.
So while their collective bargaining agreement runs through four more seasons, players have been expressing more frustration with owners.
“The goal of collective bargaining is not labor peace. It’s a fair and equitable deal. Fifteen months in, we’re seeing things that we’ve never seen before, and that raises concerns,” union leader Tony Clark said. “We’ll have to figure out in the near term and in the longer term how those concerns can be addressed, because invariably if they are affecting the industry adversely,
everybody should have that concern.”
Clark, who began his annual tour of camps with Boston, said that the union’s special training camp for free agents in Bradenton, Fla., will stay open indefinitely. About one-third of the 166 players who exercised free agency rights in November have not reached a contract agreement, including pitcher Jake Arrieta and third baseman Mike Moustakas.
Major League Baseball, in a statement this month, attributed the amount of unsigned players to a misread of the marketplace and denied any deliberate attempt at fielding noncompetitive clubs.
Clark didn’t directly answer a question about whether charges of collusion are founded.
Briefly: Yankees minorleague infielder Thairo Estrada is increasing his workout program after being shot in the right thigh area during a robbery attempt last month in Venezuela, but may not be ready for the start of the season . ... Rays top pitching prospect Brent Honeywell has a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm and will have Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for the entire season . ... The Twins signed 12-year veteran shortstop Erick Aybar to a minor-league contract . ... The Reds signed left-handed pitcher Oliver Perez to a minor-league contract . ... The Pirates signed lefthander Kevin Siegrist to a minor-league contract. ... The Royals signed outfielder Michael Saunders to a minor-league deal. He earlier had signed with the Pirates, but asked for and was granted his release after Pittsburgh acquired outfielder Corey Dickerson from the Rays via a trade.