The Associated Press
DUNEDIN, Fla.—Jose Bautista hit his first spring homer, and Aaron Sanchez tossed four scoreless innings, as the Toronto Blue Jays rolled to a 6-1 victory over a Tampa Bay Rays split-squad yesterday.
Playing in just his second game of the spring, Bautista drove an inside fastball from prospect Taylor Guerrieri off a light pole beyond the left-field fence for a three-run shot in the third.
Bautista went 0-for-1 with a strikeout, walk, and hit-by-pitch in his spring debut on Thursday against the N.Y. Yankees.
The six-time all-star outfielder sat out the first nine exhibition games to get additional workout time.
“That’s what he does,” said Jays’ manager John Gibbons.
“He’s been getting his work in but . . . he’s a guy you can always count on.”
Sanchez, in the mix for a spot in the rotation, yielded a lead-off double to Brandon Guyer in the first before retiring 11-straight.
The 23-year-old right-hander walked one and struck out four.
“First batter of the game, I tried to front-door a cutter—something I had been working on—[and] it just saw too much of the plate,” Sanchez noted.
“After that, man, I liked everything about that outing except the two-out walk there at the end,” he added.
“But overall, a good day.”
Gibbons indicated he’s not close to making a decision on the role Sanchez will have to start the season.
Sanchez said the goal is to be a starter.
“You don’t think I’m thinking starter? Absolutely I’m thinking starter,” he stressed.
“They know what I want to do,” he added. “Everybody in baseball knows what I want to do.”
On the injury front, Marco Estrada, who has not appeared in a game because of back soreness, threw 35 pitches in a simulated game Saturday and expects to be ready to start the season.
He should make his exhibition debut this week.
The Jay have an off day today before Jesse Chavez will make his first start tomorrow against the Orioles in Dunedin.
The right-hander was acquired in a November trade with Oakland.
