WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Carlos Correa skipped the Houston Astros’ visit to the White House to help arrange for more relief supplies for shipment to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, where he grew up.
Correa and closer Ken Giles did not attend Monday’s ceremony in Washington, D.C., that honored the Astros’ 2017 World Series title. The Astros said Giles had a family commitment.
“It was not politics or anything,” Correa said Tuesday. “It was just that the day off was perfect to be able to provide some help for the people in Puerto Rico in need.”
Puerto Rico was damaged in September by Hurricane Maria. With the assistance of Astros, Jim Crane, Correa helped send a plane of supplies to Puerto Rico in October.
“I don’t only represent the Houston Astros, I don’t only represent my family, but I also represent the American citizens that are living in Puerto Rico,” Correa said. “I just want to bring some awareness to what is going on.”
YANKEES: Rookie Gleyber Torres was sent to minor-league camp.
Torres was 4 for 25 (.160) in big-league camp as he works his way back from last year’s Tommy John surgery on his left (non-throwing) elbow.
The Yankees signed veteran second baseman Neil Walker on Monday.
Walker is expected to make his spring training debut on Friday, according to Manager Aaron Boone.
n AL Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge will earn $622,300 in the major leagues as part of his one-year contract.
Judge, who led the AL with 52 home runs, is not eligible for salary arbitration until after the 2019 season. He agreed to a split contract in which his salary would drop to $272,250 in the unlikely event he is sent back to the minors.
PIRATES: Ivan Nova will be the Opening-Day starting pitcher at Detroit in March 29. It is unclear whether he will remain with Pittsburgh through the entire season.
Following the offseason trades of 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen and former 19-game winner Gerrit Cole, Nova is a veteran on a team that has turned toward youth. Nova is owed $8.5 million in each of the next two seasons as part of a $26 million, three-year contract.
“I said it when I signed here, and I still feel this way – this is place I want to be,” Nova said. “I love playing for the Pirates.”
METS: Captain David Wright won’t participate in baseball activities for two months because of back and shoulder issues, another setback in his attempt to return from injuries that have sidelined him for two years, and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is sidelined after hurting a wrist.
The 35-year-old Wright has been limited to 75 regular-season games during the past three years. He was on the disabled list from April 15 to Aug. 24, 2015, when he strained his right hamstring and then developed spinal stenosis.
Cespedes hurt his right wrist while swinging in a game on March 6. He was to play Tuesday but was scratched.
“I felt something in my wrist, but I didn’t care much about that,” Cespedes said through a translator. “It started bothering me on Tuesday, but with the day off yesterday … I thought it would be good for today.”
n Tim Tebow was reassigned to minor league camp after he went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts in an exhibition against the Houston Astros.
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