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Baseball opens up with Spring Training

Nolan Arenado in his new Cardinal red, Mookie Betts back in Dodger blue. October breakout star Randy Arozarena with a hit in his first February at-bat, Buster Posey returning from an opt-out year.

And a socially distanced standing ovation for Trey Mancini.

All over spring training, baseball enjoyed a bevy of reassuring signs Sunday on the opening day of Grapefruit and Cactus league play.

By far, the most touching scene involved Mancini.

After producing 35 home runs and 97 RBIs for the Orioles in 2019, he seemed primed for even bigger things. But after playing just five exhibitions last year, he needed to end his season to have surgery for colon cancer.

When Mancini came up in the first inning against Pittsburgh, he drew a nice round of applause as he approached the batter’s box and waved to the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium. The cheers kept growing, with pitcher Chad Kuhl stepping off the mound and umpire Will Little cleaning the plate to prolong the salute.

Mancini took off his helmet to acknowledge a standing ovation that included the fans, the Orioles and the Pirates.

“It was amazing,” he said. “I almost teared up a little bit, I’m not going to lie.”

Moments later, the slugging first baseman, who turns 29 in a few weeks, lined a single to center field.

“It’s almost a year to the day when I was last in a game, so it definitely felt like a moment where we came full circle a little bit,” he said. “I thought more about everything that happened today than I have in a long time. I’ve mostly tried to in a lot of ways just move on and not think too much about last year. But today I ran through all the tough days that we had and really tried to appreciate and cherish today.”

AROUND THE

GRAPEFRUIT AND

CACTUS LEAGUES

CARDINALS 4,

NATIONALS 4 (9)

Arenado was hitless in two trips, striking out with two runners on in the first inning and flying out to center in the third. Flaherty surrendered three runs, four hits and three walks in an inning-plus of work.

Kyle Schwarber singled in two at-bats and scored a run in his first game with Washington. Erick Fedde, in line for the final spot in the starting rotation, loaded the bases in the first inning and gave up a run on a wild pitch to Arenado.

PIRATES 6,

ORIOLES 4 (8)

Baltimore’s Chris Davis was hitless in two trips with a strikeout. Davis, in the sixth year of his $161 million, seven-year deal, has changed his mechanics in an effort to resurrect his career after batting .115 in 16 games of an injury-plagued 2020 season. Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr.’s son Ryan struck out in his only at-bat.

Kuhl allowed two hits but struck out the side in a one-inning start for Pittsburgh. Gregory Polanco had a two-run shot, and Ke’Bryan Hayes doubled in a run and scored. Kevin Newman had two singles and walked, scoring twice.

TIGERS 10,

PHILLIES 2 (7)

Nova allowed five runs, three hits and two walks while retiring just one batter. Willi Castro led off Detroit’s five-run first with a homer, and Jeimer Candelario doubled for one of his two hits.

Haseley’s homer was one of four hits for Philadelphia, including a double by Mickey Moniak.

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