CLEVELAND INDIANS

CLEVELAND INDIANS

Carrasco wins final spring start for Tribe

Carlos Carrasco pitched 52/3 innings and Eric Stamets hit a grand slam in a 10-1 win over the Rangers on Monday night at Globe Life Park. The Indians have one more practice game to play before opening the regular season Thursday against the Twins at Target Field.

Mike Clevinger will face lefty Drew Smyly at 2:05 p.m. today.

Carrasco allowed one run on five hits in his final spring start. He’s scheduled to start the third game of the season on Sunday against Minnesota’s Michael Pineda. In the first two games, Corey Kluber will face Jose Berrios and Trevor Bauer will face Jake Odorizzi.

Carrasco struck out four and walked one. In the first, he took a line drive off the backside from Rougned Odor. Carrasco, MLB’s leading-ball magnet, is already in midseason form.

Stamets, the opening day shortstop, while Francisco Lindor recovers from a right calf injury, hit a slam off Edinson Volquez in the fourth. Volquez pitched himself into trouble by walking Brad Miller, hitting Roberto Perez with a pitch and walking Max Moroff. Stamets, who will be making his big-league debut on Thursday, cleared the bases on a drive into the left field bleachers.

The slam gave Stamets nine RBIs for the spring. It came in his 17th start at shortstop. To say he’s been used a lot this spring is an understatement.

Tyler Naquin made it 5-0 by doubling home Carlos Santana in the fifth. Santana has been rolling this spring. He went 2-for-4 Monday night and is hitting .400 (24-for-60) with four homers and 12 RBI in the Cactus League.

Greg Allen stretched the lead to 8-1 with a three-run double in the eighth. Allen is hitting .378 (17-for-45) with seven RBI in 19 games this spring.

Kevin Plawecki added a two-run homer in the ninth. It was his second of the spring.

There was a cool moment before the game when Indians prospect Luke Wakamatsu exchanged lineup cards with his father, Don, the bench coach for the Rangers, at home plate. The Indians selected Luke Wakamatsu with the 20th pick in the 2015 draft.

There was another good moment in Goodyear, Ariz. when Lindor went 1-for-4 with a home in a game against Louisville, Cincinnati’s top farm club. Lindor played all nine innings at short. Lindor is eligible to rejoin the Indians on April 4.

Cleveland is not sure whether third baseman Jose Ramirez (knee) will play in Thursday’s opener at Minnesota

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Cobb will start season on 10-day injured list

The Baltimore Orioles put scheduled opening-day starter Alex Cobb on the 10-day injured list on Monday because of a strained right groin.

He likely will be replaced by Andrew Cashner for Thursday’s game at the New York Yankees. Cobb’s last spring training was cut short after one inning Saturday because of the groin.

Baltimore also placed catcher Austin Wynns on the 10-day IL because of a left oblique strain.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Reliever Hudson agrees to one-year contract

Reliever Daniel Hudson has agreed to a one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays that includes a $1.5 million salary while in the major leagues, a deal that followed his release from a minor league deal by the Los Angeles Angels last weekend.

To open a roster spot, the Blue Jays placed second baseman Devon Travis on the 60-day injured list because of an inflamed left knee.

Toronto also agreed to a minor league contract with reliever John Axford, two days after the Blue Jays released him. By cutting him and then bringing him back, the Blue Jays avoided having to pay a $100,000 retention bonus.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

Lucas Duda will open season on MLB roster

Kansas City selected the contract of first baseman Lucas Duda from Triple-A Omaha and waived outfielder Brian Goodwin.

Duda attended spring training with Minnesota on a minor league contract, was released last week and signed a minor league deal with the Royals on Friday. He gets a $1.25 million, one-year contract from Kansas City and the chance to earn $250,000 in performance bonuses.

He hit .242 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs in 87 games for the Royals last season and was traded to Atlanta in August. Duda appeared in 20 games down the stretch, hitting .222 with a homer and two RBIs.

Duda was 0 for 3 in three games during the Braves’ Division Series loss to the Dodgers.

Goodwin hit .200 with three homers and 12 RBIs for the Nationals last season before a late-July trade to Kansas City.

Staff/wire report