Harper hit on foot by pitch; Severino out until May

By The Associated Press
New Phillies star Bryce Harper bruised his right foot when he was hit by a pitch during a spring training game Friday, but manager Gabe Kapler said the team wasn’t overly worried.

Initial X-rays were negative, the team said, and Harper left the ballpark for more detailed X-rays.

“Bryce has a right foot contusion,” Kapler said after a 3-2 win over Toronto. “Right now we don’t have reason for major concern, but obviously we want to go inside and take a look first.”

“Certainly extra scary given where we are in camp,” Harper said. “We’re confident and we understand we have a good club on the field and we’re confident that Bryce is going to be all right.”

Many in the crowd at Spectrum Field gasped when Harper was struck by a 96 mph fastball from Toronto rookie Trent Thornton in the sixth inning. The slugging outfielder went down to the dirt, clutched his ankle and stayed on the ground for a few moments.

Harper was checked by a trainer, limped toward the dugout with assistance and soon hobbled toward the clubhouse.

Recently signed to a record $330 million, 13-year contract, Harper was playing his fourth exhibition. He is 0 for 5 in 10 plate appearances.

SEVERINO

New York Yankees ace Luis Severino will miss all of April because of right shoulder inflammation.

Severino had been scheduled to start on opening day on March 28 but was scratched from his first planned spring training appearance on March 5. He felt discomfort after throwing his first slider in a pregame bullpen session.

“He’s going to have to start from scratch and have his spring training,” general manager Brian Cashman said Friday. “If it needs to be more, we’ve got to make sure we don’t have a problem with it.”

Severino is set to resume playing catch next week.

“I feel nothing right now,” Severino said. “I want to deal with this issue and be 100 percent.”

Cashman also said center fielder Aaron Hicks, sidelined since hurting his back during batting practice on March 1, might not be ready for opener against Baltimore.

PHILLIES 3, BLUE JAYS 2

Starter Nick Pivetta, who plans to rely more on his changeup, gave up one run and three hits in five innings.

Freddy Galvis and Kevin Pillar homered. Left-hander Ryan Borucki struck out five in 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run and just three hits. John Axford got one out in the ninth, allowing two runs, two hits and two walks.

YANKEES 14, RED SOX 1

Aaron Judge hit his fifth home run, and Domingo German allowed two hits over four shutout innings with six strikeouts.

Hector Velazquez gave up four runs — one earned — and three hits in 1 2/3 innings.

RAYS 7, TIGERS 3

Yandy Diaz, the muscular corner infielder acquired from Cleveland in the Jake Bauers trade, hit a three-run home run and drove in four runs. Ryne Stanek gave up a hit and struck out three in a two-inning start. Spencer Turnbull allowed one run and five hits in four innings.

MARLINS 7, BRAVES 6

Wei-Yin Chen gave up three runs and seven hits in four innings, and 23-year-old Pablo Lopez gave up one run and five hits in five innings.

Atlanta’s Sean Newcomb allowed four runs, seven hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings. Jonny Venters struck out two in an inning but allowed a run and two hits.

TWINS 12, ORIOLES 9

Michael Pineda, returning from Tommy John surgery, allowed three runs and four hits in 3 1/3 innings. Ehire Adrianza hit a pair of two-run homer for the Twins, who went deep six times.

Baltimore starter David Hess gave up nine runs and nine hits — four of them homers — in 2 2/3 innings.

NATIONALS 11, METS 3

Yan Gomes and Anthony Rendon each hit a pair of home runs, and Adam Eaton, Ryan Zimmerman and Matt Adams each had one.

Michael A. Taylor was scheduled to receive an MRI exam on his left knee and hip after hitting the ground hard making a diving catch in right-center field Thursday.

Jeremy Hellickson gave up one run and five hits in five innings. Steven Matz allowed eight runs on seven hits — four of them homers — in two innings.