Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander gave up back-to-back home runs to Jasson Dominguez and J.C. Escarra in the first inning and the New York Yankees came away with a 4-3 victory at Lakeland, Fla.
In his second start of the spring, Verlander allowed three solo home runs in 3 1/3 innings (61 pitches). The 43-year old, who has returned to Detroit after spending parts of nine seasons pitching for the Houston Astros, the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants since departing, had five strikeouts. He has allowed five runs with nine strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings this spring.
Yankees right-hander Will Warren continued his outstanding spring, allowing two runs on twi hits over six innings with no walks. He gave up a home run to the Tigers’ Zach McKinstry to shave the Yankees’ lead to 3-2 in the fifth inning.
Detroit tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a Jude Warwick sacrifice fly, but a bases-loaded walk to Yankees minor leaguer Joshua Moylan pushed across the game-winning run in the top of the ninth.
Seth Brown also homered off Verlander with one out in the second inning.
Cardinals 3, Mets 1
Nelson Velazquez hit a two-run home run off New York starter Sean Manaea in the bottom of the first inning as St. Louis edged the Mets in Jupiter, Fla.
New Mets infielder Jorge Polanco greeted Cardinals starter Michael McGreevey by launching a solo home run as the second batter of the game. it was the only run allowed by McGreevey, who gave up four hits and one walk with three strikeouts in five innings.
St. Louis first baseman Alec Burleson added an RBI single in the second inning. Nolan Gorman doubled and tripled off Manaea, but was stranded on both occasions.
Phillies 8, Blue Jays 5, 8 innings
Philadelphia roughed up a pair of Toronto minor league pitchers, scoring eight runs over the first three innings for the victory in Clearwater, Fla.
Phillies’ All-Star shortstop Trea Turner contributed a two-run RBI double to right in the second inning and Alec Bohm blasted a 422-foot solo home run in a four-run third.
Philadelphia starter Jesus Luzardo, who just signed a five-year contract extension worth $135 million on Tuesday, gave up a first-inning home run to Blue Jays’ backup catcher Tyler Heineman and allowed three runs in 3 2/3 innings. Heineman reached base three times, with two hits and a walk and scored three runs.
Twins 8, Red Sox 5
Rayne Doncon hit a three-run triple with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to snap a 5-5 tie as Minnesota prevailed over Boston in a battle of teams based in Fort Myers, Fla.
After Twins infielder Orlando Arcia hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning for a 4-3 lead, the Red Sox pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the eighth to retake the lead. The lead changed hands four times over the final four innings.
Boston shortstop Trevor Story went 3-for-4, scored a run and increased his spring average to .400.
Twins’ starter Bailey Ober, who is trying to rebound from an injury-plagued 2025 season, continued his slow ramp-up to the regular season by throwing 2 1/3 innings and allowing one run on five hits. Ober had two strikeouts with one walk in 53 pitches during his second outing of the spring.
Ryan Jeffers was one of four Twins with two hits and drove in runs in the first and third innings.
–Field Level Media
