FORT MYERS, Fla. — Twins righthander Michael Pineda no-hit the Red Sox for two innings Saturday, and a spring shower took care of the rest. With the grass getting wet, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli and his Red Sox counterpart, Alex Cora, decided to call off the rest of the scheduled five-inning game with the Twins leading, 2-0.
Michael Pineda throws two no-hit innings, then Twins-Red Sox are rained out
Managers Rocco Baldelli and Alex Cora didn't want to risk player injury.
March 6, 2021 at 7:42PM
"We just didn't want to take the risk of someone slipping and hurting themselves out there," Baldelli said. "It's just not worth the risk."
Pineda struck out four of the six hitters he faced, and finished his first two innings of the spring by getting former Twins teammate Marwin Gonzalez to ground out.
"It's two innings, but I feel good," Pineda said. "I'm excited to get back to throwing."
Weather permitting, the Twins will face Tampa Bay on Sunday at Hammond Stadium, with Lewis Thorpe making his second start. Alex Colomé, who was to pitch in the rain-shortened game, will work Sunday instead, Baldelli said.
Robust competition is likely for righthander Roki Sasaki, whose agent suggests a “smaller, midmarket” team might be a good route to take, but the Los Angeles Dodgers are said to be the favorites to land him.
