Major League Baseball teams are only allowed to have 26 players on their roster at the start of the regular season, and Montrealer Otto Lopez is doing his best to make it count for the Toronto Blue Jays.
The infielder used two of his three shots in a 3-0 win over the Minnesota Twins in a Grapefruit League matchup in Florida on Thursday.
After being floored in the first inning, the Dominican-born athlete forced shooter Tyler Mahle to give him a free pass in the third inning. A single by Orelvis Martinez allowed him to cross the record moments later.
In the fifth third, Lopez again complicated Mahle’s task by hitting a single to right field at his expense. However, Vinny Capra’s through ball ended the inning before he could score.
In 18 at-bats since the start of spring training camp, Lopez has hit eight from the safety net and driven in three runs.
For their part, the twins have been muzzled by Yusei Kikuchi, who seems set for the start of the regular season. The Japanese gunner hit nine in five innings, allowing just three hits and a walk.
The Blue Jays will miss Adam Wainwright’s farewell tour
To their regret — or luckily — the Blue Jays won’t have the opportunity to face St. Louis Cardinals great pitcher Adam Wainwright during his farewell tour because he’s injured.
The 41-year-old ace was scheduled to be in action for the first game of the 2023 season in a week against the only Canadian team in major baseball. This will be the only series between the two teams this season.
Wainwright will instead launch the campaign among the cripples and sit out several weeks. He injured his groin while working out at the gym on Tuesday before the United States played Japan in the finals of the World Baseball Classic.
Cardinals manager Oli Marmol has confirmed he will not be hiring the veteran on March 30. Wainwright could have played the opener for the seventh time in his career. The American has never won the Cy-Young, but has won two Golden Gloves and as many Silver Sticks in his 17th season.
Serious for Hoskins
The Philadelphia Phillies also got bad news Thursday when first baseman Rhys Hoskins injured his left knee in the preseason game against the Detroit Tigers.
When he tried to remove Austin Meadows on the first pillow, he collapsed in visible pain. The team later confirmed that he had torn a cruciate ligament in his left knee and had to go under the knife.
Hoskins hit 30 home runs last season and had a .246 batting average.