Spring training roundup: Andrew McCutchen drives in key run in Rangers’ debut

Former National League MVP Andrew McCutchen made his spring training debut with the Rangers and doubled home a run in the fifth inning as Texas defeated San Diego, 4-1, on Monday in Peoria, Ariz.

McCutchen, 39, signed a minor league deal with the Rangers on March 5. He began his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2009, won the MVP in 2013 and spent 12 of 17 campaigns in Pittsburgh. McCutchen went 1-for-3 as the designated hitter for Texas.

Another new Ranger — former Met Brandon Nimmo — drove in Texas’ second run with a second-inning triple.

San Diego’s Randy Vasquez, expected to be the No. 4 or No. 5 starter, has enjoyed a solid spring, but allowed two runs and five baserunners in four innings. The Padres only managed four hits.

Cardinals 7, Orioles 2

Top St. Louis prospect JJ Wetherholt smashed a game-winning home run to lead St. Louis over Baltimore in Jupiter, Fla.

Wetherholt, the No. 5 prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, hit his second spring homer to break a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning. He’s hitting .278 as he pushes to make the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster. The Cardinals tacked on three more runs in the seventh on homers from Joshua Baez and Chase Davis. Matt Svanson recorded the win with a scoreless frame after Matthew Liberatore struck out seven and allowed two runs over five innings.

Sam Huff homered and Jhonkensy Noel had an RBI single for the Orioles, who saw Nestor German take the loss after he allowed five runs over three innings of relief work.

Braves 9, Twins 8

Atlanta plated eight runs in the first inning before holding on for dear life, escaping with a victory over Minnesota in North Port, Fla.

Mauricio Dubon had two hits and three RBIs, Austin Riley was 3-for-3 with a run and Michael Harris II and reigning NL Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin each knocked in a pair for the Braves. Carlos Carrasco earned the win despite allowing four runs over 2 2/3 innings.

Royce Lewis and Josh Bell sparked the comeback bid with two of the Twins’ five home runs. Luke Keaschall was 2-for-2 with a triple and a double. Starter Zebby Matthews was roughed up in the loss, allowing six runs over 3 2/3 innings.

Tigers 4, Rays 4

Kevin McGonigle’s seventh-inning home run helped Detroit salvage a tie against Tampa Bay in Lakeland, Fla.

Will Simpson delivered a go-ahead two-run homer for the Rays, boosting his spring average to .455 with a 3-for-4 showing. John Peck also homered for the Tigers and Riley Greene (2-for-3) opened the scoring with an RBI single.

Framber Valdez was strong on the mound for Detroit, striking out six while surrendering one earned run over four innings. Rays starter Shane McClanahan struggled a bit more, giving up three runs on three hits over 2 1/3 innings.

Red Sox 5, Phillies 3

Nick Sogard’s three-run homer proved to be the difference in Boston’s come-from-behind win over Philadelphia in Fort Myers, Fla.

Trevor Story, Braiden Ward and Allan Castro each tacked on two of the Red Sox’s 11 hits, with Ward adding an RBI and his 14th stolen base of the spring. Boston won despite a suboptimal start from Garrett Crochet, who allowed two second-inning runs but battled through to allow three runs over 4 2/3 innings.

Jose Rodriguez provided the Phillies’ only RBI on a single, one of six hits by the team, all of which were singles. Bryan Rincon scored the team’s final run on a steal of home. Bryse Wilson was the losing pitcher, allowing four runs on six hits over three innings.

Astros 10, Cardinals (ss) 3

Joey Loperfido knocked in three runs, aiding Houston’s defeat of St. Louis in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Loperfido homered and added an RBI single, and Taylor Trammell contributed a two-run triple for the Astros, who saw their pitching staff strike out 13 but walk seven with Peter Lambert earning a three-inning relief win.

Nelson Velazquez had two of the Cardinals’ five hits, including an RBI single in the seventh. They stranded 11 runners, setting the stage for Richard Fitts’ loss after he gave up four runs on six hits over 2 2/3 innings in his start.

Angels 2, Giants 0

Los Angeles’ Jose Soriano and San Francisco’s Robbie Ray dominated in their starts in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Soriano went five innings, allowing one hit, no walks and recorded four strikeouts. Ray responded with a four-inning stint and did not give up a hit, although he walked four and fanned four.

The Angels scored the game’s lone runs in the top of the ninth. Yolmer Sanchez, who started in the White Sox infield from 2017-19, but has not appeared in the major leagues since 2022, plated the first run of the game with a single to left.

Guardians 6, Royals 2

All-Star outfielder Steven Kwan hit a pair of two-run home runs in back-to-back at-bats, leading Cleveland over Kansas City in Surprise, Ariz.

Kwan hit his long balls in the third and fifth innings and Brayan Rocchio added a homer following Kwan in the fifth. Starter Parker Messick, who posted a 3-1 record and 2.72 ERA in seven 2025 late-season starts, did not allow a run and fanned four in 4 2/3 innings.

Royals minor-leaguer Luca Tresh hit a two-run homer in the seventh. Reliever Nick Mears allowed three runs and two home runs in the fifth.

White Sox 12, Rockies 3

The first 11 Chicago batters reached base in an 11-run fourth inning as the White Sox romped over Colorado in Phoenix, Ariz.

Former Rockie Drew Romo had a pair of run-scoring hits in the inning, including a bases-clearing triple. Oliver Dunn hit a solo homer in the second inning and added two hits and scored twice in the fourth.

Colorado pitcher Valente Bellozo, who spent his first two seasons in Miami, did not retire a batter in the fourth, allowing six of the 11 runs. Jordan Beck went 2-for-2 with a double and Roc Riggio homered for the Rockies.

Diamondbacks 2, Mariners 1

Starter Zach Gallen continued his excellent spring, retiring all nine batters he faced as Arizona edged Seattle in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Gallen, who was a free agent before re-signing with the club after seven seasons in the desert, fanned three and ran his scoreless streak to six innings this spring. The Diamondbacks won in the bottom of the ninth when Alexander Benua scored from second base on a two-out infield single by Adrian Rodriguez.

Seattle starter Bryan Woo fanned four and allowed one run in four innings. Former Cardinal Brendan Donovan went 2-for-3 in the leadoff spot for the Mariners.

Athletics 9, Reds 7

Former New York Met Jeff McNeil went 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs as the Athletics held off Cincinnati in Goodyear, Ariz.

McNeil, batting leadoff, scored the first of four first-inning runs and hit a two-run blast in the fourth. Zach Gelof added two hits and drove in a run with a first-inning double.

Reds starter Rhett Lowder, who missed most of the 2025 season with elbow soreness, allowed five runs (three earned) and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. Lowder, the seventh pick in the 2023 draft, is competing for a spot in the rotation. Former Athletic JJ Bleday hit a two-run homer in the first inning. Rece Hinds added a late three-run homer.

Dodgers 4, Brewers 3

Journeyman catcher Seby Zavala produced a tiebreaking RBI single in a two-run eighth inning as Los Angeles rallied past Milwaukee in Phoenix, Ariz.

Zavala signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers after spending his injury-plagued 2025 season with Boston’s Triple-A team in Worcester. Starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan, who appeared in six postseason games for Los Angeles in 2025, allowed one run, but put five on base in 2 1/3 innings.

Jake Bauers hit his third home run of the spring, a solo shot, to give Milwaukee a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Long reliever Aaron Ashby got the start and permitted one run with four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.

–Field Level Media