By The Associated Press
This was not how Felix Hernandez hoped to start spring training.
Slowed by injuries last year, the Seattle ace was struck in his pitching arm by a line drive Monday and forced to leave his exhibition debut.
The Mariners said a precautionary X-ray of his right forearm was negative. Hernandez was listed as day-to-day and will be re-evaluated Tuesday.
Hernandez was hit by a liner from Victor Caratini of the Chicago Cubs. The 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner immediately grabbed his arm and didn’t pursue the ball on the infield grass.
Hernandez went down to a knee, hopped up and walked around in obvious pain. He headed to the dugout with a trainer holding his arm, and Caratini gave him a tap of encouragement.
The 31-year-old Hernandez spent considerable time on the disabled list last season because of shoulder trouble. He was 6-5 with a 4.36 ERA in 16 starts.
OHTANI’S A HIT
Two-way star Shohei Ohtani had a much better big league debut as a hitter than he did as a pitcher.
After patiently drawing walks in his first two plate appearances, Ohtani hit a sharp RBI single up the middle in his first spring training start as a designated hitter for the Los Angeles Angels.
« I was happy to get that first hit out of the way but I was also happy with my first two at-bats, » the 23-year-old said through a translator after getting on base three times against three different San Diego pitchers.
His first Cactus League at-bats came two days after his first start on the mound. The Japanese newcomer allowed a home run and didn’t make it through his scheduled two innings against Milwaukee.
AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUES:
ASTROS (SS) 8, METS 7
Noah Syndergaard and Justin Verlander provided the first real pitchers’ duel of the spring. Syndergaard threw 11 pitches of at least 100 mph over two perfect innings, striking out two. Syndergaard, who missed five months of the 2017 season with a strained lat, matched his longest outing in a big league game since April 20,2017.
Verlander struck out four of the six batters he faced. Hector Rondon gave up four runs on four hits in just two-thirds of an inning. Houston prospects Kyle Tucker and J. D. Davis each hit their second home runs of the spring.
RED SOX 13, PIRATES 2
Andrew Benintendi scored twice and Rafael Devers got two hits for Boston. Pittsburgh starter Ivan Nova struggled, but Jameson Taillon pitched two shutout innings and struck out three.
MARLINS 11, ASTROS (SS) 0
Miami starter Jose Urena gave up one hit in two innings. Houston starter Francis Martes allowed three runs and three hits in 1 1/3 innings.
TWINS 5, CARDINALS 4
Minnesota starter Phil Hughes allowed one hit in two innings. Erick Aybar got two hits for the Twins.
Michael Wacha threw two hitless innings for St. Louis.
RAYS 7, BLUE JAYS 4
Chris Archer started off with two shutout innings for Tampa Bay, fanning two. Toronto shortstop Lourdes Gurriel, the 24-year-old Cuban-born brother of Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel, had two hits.
BRAVES 2, NATIONALS 1
Julio Teheran threw two scoreless innings for Atlanta. Rex Brothers got the save but gave up a home run to Moises Sierra in the ninth.
TIGERS 8, ORIOLES 6
Baltimore starter Kevin Gausman was tagged for five runs and six hits in 1 1/3 innings. Jonathan Schoop and Trey Mancini homered for the Orioles.
Michael Fulmer gave up one hit in two innings for Detroit.
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