Yordan Alvarez gets his first Spring dinger
There’s good and bad in today’s Spring Training game story.
First the bad. Framber Valdez started, going three innings, allowing four hits and four walks while surrendering three runs, only one earned, as a throwing error in the first inning kept the Marlins at bat for a prolonged two-run inning.
Another pitching disappointment that isn’t as bad as it sounds is Rafael Montero’s two run inning in the fifth. He probably would have escaped unscathed if an easy double play ball hadn’t hit second base, scoring a run and prolonging that inning as well. Still, without the two walks, this freak play wouldn’t have mattered.
Bennet Sousa probably lost his slim chance to make the 26-man, allowing back-to-back homers in the sixth inning.
On the positive side. Yordan Alvarez hit his first Spring homer, as did 26-man contender Zach Dezenzo. Jeremy Pena knocked his second of the Spring and currently holds a 1.438 Spring OPS.
Frankly, I’m not worried about Valdez, or Jose Altuve’s .133 Spring BA. With his more limited career track record, I would like to see a little from Yainer Diaz than his current .120 BA, but we all know how misleading the highs and lows of Spring Training can be.
The Astros take on the Blue Jays tomorrow 12:07 CT.