MLB roundup: Red Sox prospect Bradley to start opener
The Boston Red Sox made a significant decision Sunday, announcing that prospect Jackie Bradley Jr. will start in left field on Opening Day against the New York Yankees.
The 22-year-old landed the roster spot after a fantastic spring. He hit .419 with two home runs, four doubles and 12 RBI in 28 Grapefruit League games. Monday's opener against the Yankees will be his first action above the Double-A level.
Bradley played 67 games in high Class A and 61 games in Double-A last season. Combined, his impressive totals included a .315 batting average with 42 doubles, four triples, nine homers, 63 RBI, 90 runs and 24 stolen bases.
The Red Sox are juggling their lineup to start the season while David Ortiz is on the disabled list. Jonny Gomes will be the designated hitter, and Bradley will join Jacoby Ellsbury and Shane Victorino in the outfield.
--Jason Bay landed a spot on the Seattle Mariners' 25-man roster as their fifth outfielder.
Bay, 34, made the team after hitting .321 with two homers and six RBI in spring training. The journeyman had signed a one-year, $1 million contract with Seattle in December.
--Second baseman Darwin Barney is expected to miss the Chicago Cubs' opener on Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates after suffering a deep cut on his left knee.
The Cubs likely will make a decision on Monday whether he needs to be placed on the disabled list, following a re-examination.
Barney, 27, won a gold Glove last season and had a .254 batting average with seven home runs.
--The Miami Marlins promoted right-hander Jose Fernandez to its Opening Day roster, and the franchise's top prospect will make his major league debut as a starter on April 7 against the New York Mets.
The Marlins also placed first baseman Logan Morrison on the 60-day disabled list as he continues to recover from September knee surgery. They placed first baseman Joe Mahoney (oblique) and catcher Jeff Mathis (broken collarbone) on the 15-day disabled list.
--Bob Turley, a former New York Yankees pitcher and an American League Cy Young Award winner, died Saturday at age 82 in Atlanta of liver cancer.
The hard-throwing Turley won 101 games and had 1,265 strikeouts in a 12-year career that included three All-Star appearances.
--Third baseman Alex Rodriguez will be with the Yankees on Monday for Opening Day.
This will be the first time Rodriguez has been with the team since Game 4 of last year's American League Championship Series loss to Detroit and his first time back at Yankee Stadium since Game 2 of that series.
Rodriguez had a tumultuous offseason, having hip surgery and being linked to the performance-enhancing drug investigation involving the Biogenesis clinic in Florida.
--The A's placed shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima on the 15-day disabled list with a strained hamstring. He signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract in December as a free agent. Nakajima, 30, hit just .167 in 49 plate appearances during the spring.
The A's also optioned lefty Pedro Figueroa and infielder Andy Parrino to Triple-A Sacramento.
--Cincinnati Reds right-hander Jose Arredondo, who had a 2.95 ERA in 61 innings of relief last season, was sent outright to the team's Triple-A club in Louisville, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
Also, Logan Ondrusek was optioned to Double-A Pensacola, Jason Donald was designated for assignment and Cesar Izturis had his contract purchased.
--Right-hander Kyle Lohse, who was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers last week, is scheduled to make his Brewers debut on Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
--San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval is questionable for Monday's season opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers because of a right elbow injury.
--The Cleveland Indians reassigned right-handers Matt Capps and Daisuke Matsuzaka to their minor league camp. Matsuzaka, a major league veteran, will begin the season as a starter for Triple-A Columbus.
Infielder Ryan Raburn had his contract purchased from Columbus, and right-hander Frank Herrmann went on the disabled list. Herrmann had season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery two weeks ago.
