PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello was struck on the pitching hand by Yoenis Cespedes’ fourth-inning grounder during his start Wednesday for the Boston Red Sox against a New York Mets’ split squad.
Porcello threw a couple of pitches, and the 28-year-old right-hander tried to finish the inning.
“It’s fine right now,” Porcello said. “It happens quickly, so you’re just trying to get the sting out of it. I was able to throw a couple of pitches, and the second warmup pitch I was able to get down in the zone, and didn’t think it would affect me making pitches.”
Porcello gave up a homer to Jay Bruce and a double to Lucas Duda, then left the game.
Making his second exhibition outing, Porcello gave up a run in the third when Curtis Granderson came home from third as Neil Walker was caught stealing second. Porcello struck out Tim Tebow looking with a 92 mph fastball in the third in the former NFL quarterback’s first spring training at-bat.
“I felt really good,” Porcello said. “The ball was coming out of my hand a lot better. I’ve got a couple of mechanical things I’m still battling.”
Porcello was 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA last season.
It was also a tough day for Tim Tebow, who played in his first game for the New York Mets.
The former NFL quarterback struck out twice, grounded into a double play, was hit by a pitch and trapped off first base. Tebow batted eighth as the designated hitter for a split squad of Mets.
Tebow looked at strike three his first time up against reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello. Tebow had a friendly word for plate umpire Ryan Additon after being called out.
Tebow came up next with the bases loaded and bounced into a double play against Noe Ramirez. A run scored on the grounder, but Tebow didn’t get credit for an RBI.
The third time up, Tebow was plunked in the right shoulder by a pitch and doubled off first base on a line drive. Tebow struck out in his last try.
The 29-year-old Tebow won the 2007 Heisman Trophy at Florida. He signed a minor league contract with the Mets last fall and is in camp this year as an outfielder.
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