SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) - Manny Machado is trying not to think when he’ll play next for the Baltimore Orioles. On Sunday, manager Buck Showalter announced the All-Star third baseman will start the season on the disabled list.
Machado, who had surgery on his left knee in October, is trying not to be disappointed.
“Go out there and get ready and come back and help the team whenever I can,” Machado said Monday. “It’s unfortunate, but it’s just part of it. I’m only five months out of surgery. So, obviously, I would have hoped to be ready for opening day, but it was just a longshot, just a hope.”
Machado was hoping to be ready for the March 31 opener against World Series champion Boston. Once he was slowed by a left calf muscle injury and scar tissue, he knew he wouldn’t make it.
“I was just trying to get ready as fast as I can,” Machado said. “Fortunately, we’ve been pretty good but not there yet.”
He visited his surgeon, Los Angeles Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache, last Thursday, and was released for activity.
“Just keep doing the same things I’ve been doing. Nothing changes,” Machado said. “Go out there and keep doing what I’m doing, little by little, increasing things and hopefully get in games soon.”
Showalter said during the weekend that Machado will have a rehab stint. Baltimore executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said that Machado has to pass definitive tests before he rejoins the team.
“He needs to meet some of these thresholds with his running before he can play,” Duquette sad. “And after he meets those thresholds, running, he probably needs at least 50 at-bats to be prepared to compete in the major leagues.”
RAINOUT: The Orioles’ spring training game against the Boston Red Sox was canceled by rain after two scoreless innings.
The game began after a delay of 79 minutes, and rain resumed falling in the bottom of the first.
Jake Peavy of the Red Sox and Brian Matusz of the Orioles each pitched two scoreless innings.
NO CHANGE: Boston manager John Farrell said outfielder Grady Sizemore will play three straight days beginning on Tuesday. Sizemore was expected to play Monday, but Jackie Bradley, Jr. started instead.
Sizemore has not played in the majors since 2011 when he was with Cleveland.
NEW GUY: Infielder Steve Lombardozzi, who was traded to Baltimore from the Detroit Tigers for Alex Gonzalez on Monday morning, arrived in time for the game though Showalter said he wouldn’t have used him.
Lombardozzi, who played for the Washington Nationals last season, lives in Columbia, Md., which is about halfway between Baltimore and Washington. His father, Steve Lombardozzi, Sr. played for Minnesota and Houston from 1985-1990.
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