Grapefruit League
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Pittsburgh Pirates 6, Atlanta Braves 3
St. Louis Cardinals 3, New York Mets 0
Cactus League
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Texas Rangers 6, Cincinnati Reds 5
Chicago Cubs 6, Seattle Mariners 2
St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Harrison Bader will open the season on the injured list with soreness in his right forearm. He is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks. Bader will be shut down from baseball activities for two weeks and then re-evaluated.
The Houston Astros are locking up pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. long-term. Multiple reports say the 27-year-old has agreed to a five-year, 85-million dollar contract extension with Houston that begins in 2022. McCullers is 32-and-25 with a 3.70 ERA in five seasons with the Astros.
The Texas Rangers are picking up the 2022 option on manager Chris Woodward’s contract. It adds a fourth season to his original contract that began in 2019. The Rangers are 100-and-122 in his two seasons at the helm, including 22-and-38 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.
Meanwhile, the Rangers will begin the season without new slugger Khris Davis. The 33-year-old strained a quad running out a bunt single Tuesday against the LA Angels. Texas GM Chris Young says Davis will miss three-to-four weeks. He was acquired from the Oakland A’s in the trade for shortstop Elvis Andrus.