MLB Spring Training: two Yankees sluggers down; one up
By Bill Felber
MLB Spring Training Recap: March 3
Loser: Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves outfielder
Is Ronald Acuna’s MLB spring training performance a matter of concern for the Braves yet?
Acuna went hitless in three at-bats, all of them strikeouts, against the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday. In 19 spring at-bats to date, he has two singles and eight whiffs.
His spring is a microcosm of the Braves spring generally. The Braves are hitting .226 as a team in their first 11 games, eight of them Braves losses.
Winner: Anderson Tejeda, Texas Rangers infielder
Anderson Tejeda and is a four-year minor leaguer being given a spring opportunity to show his wares to the Rangers brass.
Although a natural shortstop, the start he got Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants game at second base, batting out of the ninth spot in the order. Tejeda drew an early walk, then came up again at an opportune moment in the sixth.
The Giants led 3-1 with runners at first and second and two out when Tejeda got his chance. His home run to center field on a 1-0 pitch thrust the Rangers into a 4-3 lead, and they rode that to an eventual 6-5 victory.
Tejeda is now hitting .417 for the spring. He still has an uphill fight to win a roster spot, and the odds of his taking playing time from either second baseman Rougned Odor or shortstop Elvis Andrus remain slim. But he’s having a quality spring.
Loser: Cleveland Indians pitchers
This has been a terrible spring for Indians pitchers, and it continued to deteriorate Tuesday.
The slide began when Mike Clevinger, expected to be the staff ace, came up sore with leg problems. Since then the Indians have produced a 6.35 staff ERA on their way to a 3-9 spring record.
The Indians’ 11-7 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels illustrated the pitching problems. The starter, Carlos Carrasco, lasted two innings, gave up two runs on three hits, and left with a 9.00 ERA.
Hunter Wood came in to pitch the sixth inning holding a 5-2 lead and gave up four runs, although just two were earned. Then in the seventh, Jefry Rodriguez allowed four more runs on three hits and two walks.