Page 31 - bon-dia-aruba-20220519

A31
sports Diahuebs 19 Mei 2022

Francona back managing Guardians following COVID-19 outbreak

By TOM WITHERS last two seasons to handle
AP Sports Writer some serious health issues.
CLEVELAND (AP) — With Francona back, pitching
Guardians manager Terry coach Carl Willis returns to
Francona missed so much his normal duties after serv-
time over the past two sea- ing as acting manager.
sons that even a four-game Sandy Alomar and Mike Sar-
absence was difficult. baugh, the team’s respective
“This was forced retire- first- and third-base coaches,
ment,” he said. “It wasn’t are still sidelined after testing
very fun.” positive.
Hitting coach Chris Valaika
Francona and two of his returned to the Guardians on
coaches cleared health and Tuesday after missing three
safety protocols Wednesday games.
and returned to the team af- The Guardians considered
ter missing part of the past bringing up other coaches
week after testing positive for from the minors, but Fran-
COVID-19. cona said the team opted to
Francona was back for shift healthy members of his
Wednesday’s game against staff into other roles to give
the Cincinnati Reds along the players some continuity.
with bench coach DeMarlo in recent weeks, and the lat- it’s over and you can let your house. Francona said he “The biggest thing with Carl
Hale and assistant hitting est rash of cases has height- guard down. We’re going to could be n the lineup as early was, we’re trying to keep
coach Justin Toole. The trio ened the team’s awareness. have to mask up indoors just as Friday, when the Guard- some sense of normalcy,”
tested positive with coro- “Up to this point I think we to take care. Because once it ians open a three-game series he said. “When you’re miss-
navirus last week while the feel pretty fortunate,” Fran- happens, it’s kind of too late.” at home against Detroit. ing seven guys, that’s kind
Guardians were in Chicago cona said. “It was starting to First baseman Josh Naylor The 63-year-old Francona, in of hard. One, we know that
and returned to Ohio by bus work it’s way through. Once remains the only Guardians his 10th season with Cleve- the players will respect when
as the team continued its trip it gets into the clubhouse, ev- player currently sidelined land, dealt with some symp- Carl talks. We just wanted
to Minnesota. erybody’s breathing on each with the virus. However, toms over the weekend but the games to be played like
The Guardians have dealt other. We live together. Naylor is close to returning has felt better the past few they’re supposed to.”q
with two separate outbreaks “But I will say this, it’s not like and was back in the club- days. He missed most of the

Paredes homers twice, Rodriguez leaves early, Rays win 6-1

By DICK SCANLON or us,” Hinch said. “We’ve got
Associated Press to play better. We’ve got to hit
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. better. We’ve got to play more
(AP) — Isaac Paredes up-tempo. We’ve got to get in
homered twice against his the strike zone. I could keep
former teammates to dou- going for a while. We’ve got
ble his career big league a lot more to do than piecing
total, helping the Tampa together the rotation.”
Bay Rays beat the Detroit Drew Rasmussen (4-1) al-
Tigers 6-1 Wednesday on lowed four hits in five shut-
an afternon Eduardo Ro- out innings with seven strike-
driguez left in the first outs and no walks, improving
inning and headed to the to 4-0 with a 1.01 ERA in his
injured list. last five starts. Matt Wisler,
Colin Poche and J.P. Feyerei-
Rodriguez (1-3) lasted just sen finished, with Feyerei-
one out and averaged 91.9 sen striking out two in the
mph for his fastball, 2.4 mph ninth during his 15th straight
below his season average. He scoreless appearance.
left the mound with Tigers Paredes, traded by the Tigers
head athletic trainer Doug for Austin Meadows on April
Teter. 5, hit solo home runs in the
“His left side is bother- third off Rony García and in
some,” manager AJ Hinch the eighth against Wily Per- have the opportunity to be Mejía hit a two-run single is scheduled for a bullpen
said. “It got worse during his alta. able to play against them.” for a 3-0 lead.. After another session this week.
warmup. He tried to go out “After the first one, I heard Yandy Díaz had three of the walk, Rodriguez was replaced Rays: RHP Phoenix Sanders
there, and you could tell he guys in the bullpen saying 11 hits by the Rays, who won by García. (low back spasms) was rein-
was off. He’ll be out for a bit. some things,” Paredes said for the fifth time in seven The three-run inning made it stated from the 15-day IL and
Likely IL.” through a translator. “But games. easy for Rasmussen. optioned to Triple-A Dur-
Rodriguez allowed three after the second one, I don’t Spencer Torkelson homered “It really let me settle down ham.
runs, four hits and two walks, think they wanted to say any- in the seventh off Wisler and and just work in the strike UP NEXT
throwing just 11 of 23 pitches thing.” has a team-high four home zone,” he said. “My goal to- Tigers: LHP Tarik Skubal
for strikes. After signing a $77 Paredes hit one home run runs for the Tigers, who have day was to get back into my (3-2, 2.50) will try to win his
million, five-year contract, he each in 2020 and 2021 for the hit a major league-low 20 pitch count after the first (in- third straight start in Friday’s
has a 4.38 ERA. Tigers. homers in 38 games. ning). Because we scored so opener of a three-game series
Among the Tigers rotation at “Like I’ve said before, I want Tampa Bay’s first five bat- much so early, it was easier to at Cleveland.
the start of the season, Casey to beat them. I want to play ters reached. Díaz, Wander do that.” Rays: LHP Ryan Yarbrough
Mize, Matt Manning and Ty- against them,” he said. “But Franco and Harold Ramírez TRAINER’S ROOM (0-0, 4.91) will make his
ler Alexander already have I’m just giving 100% of the loaded the bases with singles, Tigers: RHP Jose Cisnero, fourth start of the season Fri-
spent time on the IL. skill that I have, and I’m just Randy Arozarena walked on on the 60-day IL all season day night at Baltimore.q
“Nobody’s going to feel sorry very fortunate to be here and four pitches and Francisco with a right shoulder strain,