Spring training roundup: Rays’ Steven Matz finishes strong spring vs. Phillies

Southpaw Steven Matz put a punctuation mark on his excellent spring training by tossing five scoreless innings Monday as the Tampa Bay Rays blanked the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-0, in Clearwater, Fla.

Matz, 34, who is transitioning back to the starting rotation after spending the last two seasons in the bullpen, pitched 11 scoreless innings for his new team this spring and is scheduled to start the Rays’ third game of the season. He gave up four hits and one walk while striking out four Phillies.

Yandy Diaz went 4-for-4 and drove in three runs with a sixth-inning double. Jake Fraley and Ben Williamson added home runs for Tampa Bay.

Phillies southpaw Jesus Luzardo, who finalized a five-year, $135 million contract extension earlier this month, shut down Tampa Bay through five innings, but allowed Fraley’s home run to lead off the sixth. He gave up two earned runs, permitted nine Rays to reach base (seven hits, two walks) and fanned six in five innings.

Orioles 2, Nationals 0

Leody Tavares cracked a pinch-hit, two-run home run in the top of the seventh as Baltimore blanked host Washington.

The former Texas Rangers outfielder signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Orioles in November 2025, but is not assured of making the club. Another Baltimore newcomer, starter Shane Baz blanked the Nationals on three hits (no walks) through five innings.

Nine Washington hurlers threw one inning apiece, including former Oriole Cionel Perez, who fanned two of three batters in the eighth. The Nationals managed only three singles off four Baltimore pitchers.

Braves 5, Pirates 2

Matt Olson hit two of the team’s four solo home runs as Atlanta blasted past Pittsburgh in Bradenton, Fla.

Olson, who has six homers this spring, connected in the first and sixth innings. Eli White went deep in the second inning and Mike Yastrzemski left the yard in the sixth, directly preceding Olson’s second long ball. Prospect Didier Fuentes allowed one earned run over 4 2/3 innings. Fuentes, 20, has been added to the Braves’ Opening Day roster as a bullpen arm, but reports indicate he will be sent back to Triple-A Gwinnett a few weeks into the season to be stretched out as a starter.

Nick Gonzalez and Nick Yorke contributed RBI doubles for the Pirates.

Twins 9, Red Sox 6

David Banuelos hit a two-run, eighth inning home run off premier closer Aroldis Chapman and Minnesota bested Boston in Fort Myers, Fla.

Trevor Larnach also homered for the Twins and added an RBI groundout. Orlando Arcia went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Starter Bailey Ober allowed 13 Red Sox baserunners (10 hits, three walks) and four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Ceddanne Rafaela had three hits in four trips for the Red Sox, including his third homer of the spring, a solo blast which tied the game at 6 in the bottom of the seventh. Wilyer Abreu added a solo shot for Boston. Starter Johan Oviedo permitted six earned runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Athletics 10, White Sox 9

Drew Swift recorded five RBIs, highlighted by a fourth-inning grand slam, as the host Athletics overcame a seven-run deficit to defeat Chicago in Mesa, Ariz.

Joey Meneses, Henry Bolte and Michael Stefanic also drove in runs for the A’s, with Swift and Stefanic each recording three hits. Starter Luis Morales allowed only one hit over his 2 2/3 innings, a three-run double by Lenyn Sosa.

Sosa, who’s coming off the most productive season of his career, notched four RBIs. Darren Baker’s one-run single in the ninth inning pulled the White Sox within one, but they would get no closer. Anthony Kay had a start to forget for Chicago, surrendering four walks, seven hits and seven runs.

Cubs 15, Yankees 6

Chicago had five multi-hit batters and three home runs as it dismantled New York in Mesa, Ariz.

The Cubs accumulated 18 hits on the day as Michael Conforto and Nico Hoerner recorded three each, while Michael Busch, Alex Bregman and Matt Shaw all went yard. Shota Imanaga pitched five innings, his longest start of the spring, allowing seven hits, two runs and striking out five batters.

The Yankees had 13 hits of their own, highlighted by Spencer Jones’ pair of home runs. Carlos Lagrange was pulled from his start after just 2 2/3 innings, after he allowed nine hits and eight runs.

Padres 10, Mariners 3

A Romeo Sanabria grand slam highlighted an eight-run eighth inning as San Diego topped Seattle in Peoria, Ariz.

Sanabria and Kale Fountain homered for the Padres, who trailed 3-2 entering the eighth before putting the game out of reach. German Marquez pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief, allowing one run on four hits while striking out eight.

Julio Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena and Brady O’Brien drove in runs for Seattle, who outhit the Padres despite the loss. Starter Luis Castillo went five innings with five strikeouts and surrendered just one run.

–Field Level Media