Manaea happy to be healthy
Lefty flashes good slider but walks five in three rocky innings
MESA, Ariz. — Sean Manaea took a big-picture approach rather than focus on Saturday’s split-squad game against the Cincinnati Reds.
Which is probably a good thing.
Manaea lasted just three innings against the Reds, giving up five hits and six runs — five earned — walking five and striking out one in an 11-6 loss at Hohokam Stadium.
“It’s the first time I’m leaving spring training healthy,” Manaea said. “Everything felt fine. The slider was good and I threw a couple good change-ups.”
He pitched a scoreless third, then went down to the bullpen to throw 10 more pitches after being removed from the game.
Two walks came with the bases loaded in Cincinnati’s six-run second inning. Manaea also threw wildly on a sacrifice bunt, allowing the batter to reach base.
“I was trying to nibble a little too much, trying to be too fine,” Manaea said.
The lefty will follow Opening Day starter Kendall Graveman in the A’s rotation, and will get one more spring start before pitching the second game of the regular season against the Angels.
“It was a tough day for him,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of Manaea. “You usually don’t see him walk that many.”
The five walks matched Manaea’s total for the spring entering Saturday.
In the A’s other game Saturday against the Dodgers in Glendale, Ariz., Jesse Hahn took a step backward in his bid to crack the starting rotation. He gave up a grand slam to Andrew Toles in the fourth inning, and then a solo shot to Justin Turner. Hahn gave up eight hits and seven runs, five earned, over 31⁄3 innings.
The Dodgers won 11-6. Third base prospect Matt Chapman hit a three-run homer off the Dodgers’ Rich Hill to snap an 0-for-8 skid with five strikeouts.
Between the splitsquad n day and minor league games, plus injuries, the A’s were spread a bit thin on Saturday.
“All the names are running together right now,” Melvin said.
Lazarito Armenteros, a 17-year-old outfield prospect from Cuba, was on the roster for the game in Glendale against the Dodgers, and fellow Cuban, Yasiel Puig. Armenteros, who signed a $3 million deal with the A’s last July after defecting, turns 18 in May. He appeared on Saturday against the Dodgers and went 0 for 2 with a flyout and pop out.
Melvin said Saturday n he is not yet ready to name a closer. “That will probably be more of a Bay Bridge Series conversation,” he said.
The Bay Bridge Series will begin on Thursday at AT&T Park. Some of the closer candidates worked in Saturday’s game in Mesa, with mixed results. Santiago Casilla pitched a spotless fifth.
Ryan Madson had an interesting sixth inning, allowing two doubles but no runs. The Reds had a runner thrown out at third on a fielder’s choice, and another one nailed at the plate on a relay from left-fielder Tyler Marincov to Richie Martin to Josh Phegley.
Sean Doolittle gave up three hits — on two doubles and a triple — and a pair of runs in the seventh.
Marcus Semien was a n late scratch from Saturday’s game with an illness, and was replaced at shortstop by Richie Martin. Trevor Plouffe exited after going 2 for 2 with an RBI single, a triple and a run scored. Melvin said he felt a “little something in his abductor muscle and I didn’t want to take a chance.”
Khris Davis was sidelined for the third straight day, but Melvin said he’s fine. The outfielder will likely participate in a minor league game on Sunday before returning to the regular lineup on Monday.
Ailing ace Sonny Gray threw from 90 feet on Friday and reported no problems. He is out with a lat strain in his right arm and he’ll likely begin the season on the disabled list. The A’s are hoping to get him back by late April.
Jharel Cotton will get n the start when the A’s face the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.