Red Sox Journal: Bogaerts not impressed with his spring training debut

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ first appearance of the spring Wednesday at JetBlue Park "couldn’t get any worse." That was his observation after striking out twice as the Red Sox designated hitter against the Detroit Tigers.

On the bright side, he said, "I got through the game healthy but it’s probably going to be a rough couple of days."

Bogaerts has been nursing a sore left ankle that he injured doing a jumping [...]

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ first appearance of the spring Wednesday at JetBlue Park "couldn’t get any worse." That was his observation after striking out twice as the Red Sox designated hitter against the Detroit Tigers.

On the bright side, he said, "I got through the game healthy but it’s probably going to be a rough couple of days."

Bogaerts has been nursing a sore left ankle that he injured doing a jumping exercise at his home in Aruba a week before spring training began.

He said he would play most of the remaining spring games and probably will play shortstop Thursday against the Houston Astros.

Bogaerts has become one of baseball’s top shortstops. Last year, after signing a six-year, $140-million contract in April, he rewarded the Sox by hitting .309 with 33 home runs and 117 RBI.

He also was named the winner of an American League Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award last season. He set career highs in doubles (52), extra-base hits (85), RBI (117), home runs (33), walks (76), on-base percentage (.384), slugging percentage (.555) and OPS (.939).

"No," he said, "there is no added pressure" because of the new contract.

Rough start

Boston left-hander Jeffrey Springs made the visiting Tigers look like the ’27 Yankees in his one inning of work. He allowed five runs and gave up two long homers — one to C.J. Cron and another to Frank Schwindel — as Detroit won, 13-9.

Schwindel added another two-run blast against Heath Hembree, and Niko Goodrum hit a solo shot. Iván Nova gave up five runs and seven hits in three innings, including J.D. Martinez's three-run homer in the first. Jackie Bradley Jr. went 3 for 3 with a solo home run and a double. Top prospect Jeter Downs had two hits and an RBI in Boston’s loss.

Astros coming

It will be interesting to see what kind of reception the Houston Astros get Thursdayh when they visit JetBlue Park.

The Astros have been booed and heckled incessantly so far this spring because of the sign-stealing scandal in 2017. Their batters also have been hit by pitchers pretty often.

Of course, the Red Sox are still under investigation by Major League Baseball for allegations of sign-stealing in the 2018 season. Former manager Alex Cora, who previously served as Houston’s bench coach, was let go over the scandal.

Around the bases

Left fielder Andrew Benintendi has missed five of the last six games because of tightness in his quad. He’s hoping to return to the lineup Thursday against Houston. ... Red Sox pitching has given up 33 runs in the last three games, including 13 on Wednesday to the Tigers. They have also lost five of their last seven games. ... The Red Sox reassigned five players to minor league camp on Wednesday — first baseman Tommy Joseph, left-handed pitchers Daniel McGrath and Bobby Poyner, and right-handed pitchers Bryan Mata and Denyi Reyes. Boston now has 62 players in big league camp, including all 40 players from the 40-man roster and 22 non-roster invitees.