The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Price tests sore elbow ahead of schedule
Red Sox left-hander David Price was ahead of schedule for the first step in his recovery from a sore elbow, throwing into a net in a batting cage.
Manager John Farrell said Price made 25 easy tosses Saturday before a Red Sox split squad played the Tampa Bay Rays.
“The range of motion, the freeness to the movement is all positive,” Farrell said. “It was just throwing into the net, just to get his arm moving — a little bit ahead of what we laid out yesterday. But that’s based on how he feels and the positivity towards it.”
Price is still a ways away from pitching off a mound.
“All of the early phase of throwing is going to be short distance, controlled effort and energy. So, we’re not even mapping out distances right now,” Farrell said. “We’re more interested in seeing how his arm responds to even the light volume as of today.”
Entering the second year of a $217 million, seven-year contract, Price reported elbow soreness the day after a two-inning, 38-pitch
simulated game on Feb. 28. He met with Drs. James Andrews and Neal ElAttrache on March 3.
Boston said Price did not need surgery or an injection and should rest for about 10 days.
“I’m not really focused on any kind of timeline,” Farrell said. “He’s going to be out there when first ready, first available. But there’s still work to do. The biggest key for us is going to be when he gets to the point of aggressive long toss and getting on the mound. That’s where the more extension in the arm is going to come into play. That will be a big phase in the return.”
Alvarez signs
A person familiar with the negotiations says Pedro Alvarez has agreed to a minor league contract to return to the Baltimore Orioles.
Alvarez would get a $2 million, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster and would have the chance to earn $3.5 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances: $250,000 each for 200, 250, 300 and 350; and $500,000 apiece for 400, 450, 500, 550 and 600.
A left-handed hitter who turned 30 last month, Alvarez batted .249 with 22 homers and 49 RBIs last year in his first season with the Orioles, when he had a $5.75 million base salary and earned $200,000 in performance bonuses. He spent his first six big league seasons with Pittsburgh and was an All-Star in 2013.
House heading home
Toronto Blue Jays reliever T.J. House was expected to be released from the hospital, a day after he was hit in the head by a line drive during a spring training game.
“Everything looks good,” manager John Gibbons said before Saturday’s game against Philadelphia.
House was taken off the field in an ambulance Friday. He was struck in the ninth inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers and taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Test results were normal and he was held overnight for observation.
“I’m going to make a full recovery,” House said on Twitter. “Things are looking good.”
He called this the “scariest” moment of his career.
Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said “there was blood on his face, blood in the glove — everything.” He described it as among the most frightening things he has seen in a baseball game.
House was hit on the back of the head by a ball off the bat of John Hicks. The ball ricocheted about 30 feet into the air before being caught by catcher Mike Ohlman.
Spring roundup
RED SOX (SS) 2, RAYS 1 » Chris Sale struck out five in four shutout innings, allowing a hit and a walk. Mitch Moreland and Pablo Sandoval drove in runs with singles in the third.
Rays starter Alex Cobb allowed two runs, four hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings. TWINS 13, RED SOX (SS) 0 » Minnesota general manager Thad Levine announced right-hander Trevor May, who was competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, has a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. May plants to seek a second opinion before deciding whether to have Tommy John surgery.
Miguel Sano hit a tworun triple in a first that includes RBI doubles by Byung Ho Park and Jorge Polanco. Twins starter Kyle Gibson struck out four and allowed four hits in five scoreless innings.
Red Sox starter Henry Owens was roughed up for six runs, five hits and four walks in 2 1/3 innings. YANKEES 7, TIGERS 1 » Masahiro Tanaka seven batters in four perfect innings including his first six hitters and has not given up a run in three spring training appearances. Gary Sanchez hit a wind-aided two-run homer, Matt Holliday had a three-run drive and prospect Gleyber Torres added a solo homer.