Mets’ Verlander throws bullpen
There were some familiar faces in new places Tuesday as teams picked up the pace on the second day of spring training.
Justin Verlander threw his first bullpen session for the Mets in Port St. Lucie, Fla., six days before he turns 40. Verlander helped Houston win the World Series for the second time in six seasons and won his third AL Cy Young Award before signing an $86.7 million, two-year contract with the free-spending Mets.
Scherzer or Verlander figures to start the March 30 opener at Miami, when baseball gets its first official look at the team that has baseball buzzing after owner Steve Cohen’s record spending spree. Verlander and Scherzer were teammates with Detroit from 2010 through ’14, when they each won one Cy Young Award. Scherzer won two NL Cy Youngs with Washington. Verlander won two AL Cy Youngs with Houston.
“Just like all pitchers, regardless of their background and their success, you’re trying to serve their needs and create an atmosphere that they can be as good as they can be,” manager Buck Showalter said a day ahead of the team’s reporting date. Padres’ shuffle: In Peoria, Ariz., suspended San Diego shortstop/oufielder Fernando Tatis Jr. went through outfield drills alongside Juan Soto. Manager Bob Melvin said Soto will move from right field to left field, where he started his career with Washington in 2018. That presumably means Tatis, an AllStar at shortstop in 2021, will play right field when his 80game drug suspension ends April 20.
“Left is what we’re going to work on with (Soto), and we’re going to try to keep him in that one spot,” Melvin said.
Tatis missed all of 2022. He was on the cusp of returning from left wrist surgery when he was suspended.
Xander Bogaerts will play shortstop after signing a $280 million, 11-year deal in December. That pushes Kim Ha-seong to second base and Jake Cronenworth to first.
Right-hander Michael Wacha, 31, agreed in principle to a multi-year contract with the team, according to two people with knowledge of the deal. Pizza-box bases: Boston manager Alex Cora put MLB’s new, larger bases in perspective.
“The bases, they’re the bases. Wait ’til you see them. They look like a pizza box, to be honest with you,” Cora said in Fort Myers, Fla.
MLB is increasing the bases from 15 square inches to 18 square inches in the interest of safety and more stolen-base attempts.
Judge at first? Could Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge provide first-base depth behind starter Anthony Rizzo? Judge worked out at the position during a prespring training workout at the Yankees’ minor-league complex in Tampa, Fla. Right-hander Gerrit Cole arrived and shagged batting practice in right field. Recuperated Rays: Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said second baseman Brandon Lowe looks ready after being limited to 65 games last season because of a lower back injury. Lowe had 39 homers and 99 RBIs in 2021.
“He has gone through the last month of normal batting practice, machine batting practice, just full-go and not having any setbacks,” Cash said. “So we’re really, really encouraged by that.”
Shortstop Wander Franco also looks good after playing in just 83 games in 2022 because of a right quadriceps injury and a broken right hamate bone.
“Wander is in a good spot,” Cash said. “He’s actually worked really hard this offseason to get his body as lean and probably as flexible as he has ever been. So, good for him.”