Spring training notes by Maureen Mullen
Chicago White Sox
Left-hander Carlos Rodon, projected as the No. 2 starter, is being brought along slowly in spring training because he felt fatigued last season while pitching 165 innings in 28 starts.
With Chris Sale’s departure to the Red Sox, Rodon is expected to have a heavier workload. He threw batting practice March 11 as he builds toward his first Grapefruit League start. “He looked good,” manager
Rick Renteria said. “Did a nice bit of work out there.”
Rodon’s next step is expected to be a simulated game. u Renteria said he likes that
Yoan Moncada, acquired in the Sale trade, has been critical of himself this spring.
“The thing we have to do is make sure that it is realistic, that they’re not being overly aggressive in attacking themselves,” Renteria said. “I’d rather have someone who is a little bit more critical instead of accepting everything being what it is.”
The Red Sox signed Moncada, 21, to a record $31.5 million signing bonus in 2015.
Cleveland Indians
Right-hander Danny Salazar had control problems in his first three spring training starts and walked eight in 61⁄ innings. He 3 corrected those issues in his fourth outing, going four scoreless innings with six strikeouts against the Royals on March 11.
“Obviously, the more he can command, the more success he’s going to have,” manager Terry
Francona said. Salazar went 11-6 with a 3.87 ERA in 25 starts last season and was an All-Star for the first time. But he missed time down the stretch because of an arm ailment before returning to pitch in the World Series.
Second baseman Jason Kipnis, bothered all spring by a sore shoulder, was shut down for two weeks and was not expected to be ready for opening day. Infielder Mark Mathias, one of the Indians’ top prospects, dislocated his left shoulder while diving to stop a ground ball in the ninth inning March 11. No timetable has been set for his return.
Detroit Tigers
Right-hander Jordan Zim
mermann, limited to 19 games last season because of back and neck injuries, said he feels healthy because of his offseason work.
Zimmermann visited a specialist in November and received an injection to calm the nerve that was causing trouble in his neck. He originally was expected to get a second injection, but it wasn’t necessary.
“I feel strong,” he told MLB.com. “That’s the main thing. That’s all I really care about. I don’t really care about results right now. I’m happy.” u Michael Fulmer, the AL rookie of the year last season, started Sunday against the New York Mets, his first game action since spraining his right ankle. He went 21⁄ innings, giving up two 3 runs on three hits with no walks and four strikeouts, and 30 of his 44 pitches were strikes. “I felt good,” he said.
Fulmer missed his scheduled start March 6 because of the ankle injury.
Kansas City Royals
An initial MRI revealed no structural damage after catcher
Salvador Perez injured his left knee March 11 while playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.
Perez was hurt in a collision at home plate with his Royals backup, Drew Butera, who is playing for Italy.
Perez will miss the rest of the tournament, and the Royals planned to do another MRI on the knee when he returned to their training camp in Surprise, Ariz.
“We think he’s going to be OK,” manager Ned Yost said.
Yost said his first thought after receiving the news was disbelief, and he joked that his second thought was, “I’m kicking Drew’s (rear) when I see him.”
u Raul Mondesi, who is in a four-way battle for the second-base job, collided with Athletics first baseman Jaff Decker on March 10. Mondesi, who showed symptoms of a concussion, was expected to be rested for several days.
Minnesota Twins
Nick Gordon and his brother Dee appeared together in a professional game for the first time when the Twins played the Miami Marlins on March 10, but it wasn’t a particularly memorable meeting for the sons of All-Star reliever Tom “Flash” Gordon.
Dee, the Marlins’ 28-year-old second baseman, went 0-for-3 and was in the Miami clubhouse when Nick, 21, flied out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning.
Nick Gordon, the fifth overall pick in the 2014 amateur draft, batted .291 with a .721 on-base plus slugging percentage in 116 games for high Class A Fort Myers (Fla.) last year.
u Second baseman Brian Dozier missed two days of training camp last week to serve as a pallbearer at the funeral for his grandmother in his hometown of Fulton, Miss.
Layette Dozier, 97, died March 4.