Hill, who turns 34 on Tuesday, pitched for Boston from 2010 to 2012 and made 63 appearances with the Cleveland Indians in 2013. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Boston Red Sox left-handed reliever Rich Hill reported to spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday after the death of his infant son.
His son, Brooks, was less than 2 months old when he died on Feb. 24 in Boston.
“My wife (Caitlin) has been extremely strong,” Hill saidThursday. “Our son (Brice), who is 2 1/2, is with us here down in Florida, so we are going to enjoy our time here and obviously make the most of the opportunity that’s here to present itself to play baseball.”
Hill, who turns 34 on Tuesday, pitched for Boston from 2010 to 2012 and made 63 appearances with the Cleveland Indians in 2013. He signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox during the offseason so he could remain close to his family in Boston and Milton, Mass.
—New York Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka made his first spring training start and second appearance on Thursday, allowing a solo home run and two hits in three innings against the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater, Fla.
The Japanese pitching sensation struck out one and got seven ground-ball outs. He threw 41 pitches, 25 for strikes. After a delay of more than 90 minutes because of downpours and a tornado warning, Tanaka surrendered a home run to Phillies leadoff man Freddy Galvis in the third inning. The only other hit allowed was an opposite-field double in the second to Marlon Byrd.
Tanaka, 25, has now allowed one run and four hits in five innings of work. He threw two scoreless innings of relief in his first spring outing against the Phillies last Saturday. His next start will likely come late next week.
—Arm fatigue will keep Philadelphia Phillies left-handed pitcher Cole Hamels on the shelf and off of a mound for at least another week.
Hamels said Thursday morning after a throwing session that he’ll rest and focus on getting healthy. The Phillies announced last month that Hamels might miss the start of the season because of tendinitis in his left arm.
The 30-year-old Hamels previously had shoulder issues in 2006 and 2011 and also had elbow surgery in 2011. But he has averaged 213 innings and 32 starts per season since 2008. In 33 starts last year, Hamels posted an 8-14 record with a 3.60 ERA in 220 innings. His career record is 99-74 with a 3.38 ERA in eight seasons with the Phillies.
