On the day the Kansas City Royals welcomed back Mike Moustakas, they found out Jorge Bonifacio will miss half the season.
Bonifacio was suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball on Saturday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.
The outfielder was banned after a positive test for Boldenone. The ban will begin on opening day.
“It really kind of made me sick to my stomach,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.
The 24-year-old Bonifacio made his major league debut last season, hitting .255 with 17 home runs and 40 RBIs in 113 games.
Bonifacio’s suspension cleared a roster spot for Moustakas, who re-signed with the Royals this week after becoming a free agent last fall.
Moustakas set a Royals record with 38 home runs last season, then rejected a $17.4 million offer from the team. But the third baseman never received the multiyear, mega-million dollar contract he and his agent Scott Boras anticipated.
The Royals signed Moustakas to a one-year $6.5 million contract with a mutual option for 2019. He can make another $2.2 million in incentives this year based on plate appearances.
“It feels like I never left,” he said. “It feels great to be back home. I’m excited to be back with the organization I grew up with. I got to see some familiar faces.”
“It’s always great to come into a clubhouse and everybody give you a hug. To have an opportunity to come back to Kansas City and play baseball again, it was a no-doubter, a no-brainer for me,” he said.
ASTROS 2, NATIONALS 2, 9 INNINGS
Houston starter Dallas Keuchel allowed one hit in 3 2/3 innings, striking out five. Jose Altuve went 0 for 3 but stole his first base. Washington managed only two hits - singles by Bryce Harper and Ryan Raburn - until the ninth.
Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy moved along in his recovery from offseason knee surgery, taking batting practice on the field for the first time this spring.
YANKEES 10, METS 3
Giancarlo Stanton hit his first home run of the spring - a two-run drive off Mets starter Matt Harvey - and Aaron Judge doubled, singled and scored twice. Harvey gave up five runs on six hits and a walk, pitching 4 2/3 innings. Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman struck out two in a scoreless inning and setup man Dellin Betances allowed one run on two hits in an inning.
Jose Reyes had two hits and stole two bases for the Mets, while Tim Tebow struck out twice in a 0-for-3 day and saw his average drop to .071.
BRAVES 15, PIRATES (SS) 1
Atlanta top prospect Ronald Acuna Jr. had two hits to raise his average to .433, walked and scored a run while Dansby Swanson homered for the second time. Starter Mike Foltynewicz pitched four shutout innings.
Jordy Mercer hit his first home run for Pittsburgh’s split squad. Starter Trevor Williams gave up three runs in four innings. Felipe Rivero pitched the fifth and allowed two runs on two hits and a walk.
MARLINS 7, CARDINALS 3
Starlin Castro hit his first home run for Miami. Michael Wacha started for St. Louis, pitching four innings and allowing four runs on six hits and a walk. Projected starter Odrisamer Despaigne pitched the final three innings for the Marlins, allowing one run on two hits and a walk.
RAYS 5, PHILLIES 3
Philadelphia starter Vince Velasquez threw four scoreless innings and Odubel Herrera got two hits for the second straight day. Nathan Eovaldi started for Tampa Bay, pitching three innings and allowing one run on four hits. David Olmedo-Barrera homered twice for the Rays.
ORIOLES 13, PIRATES (SS) 5
Manny Machado and Trey Mancini both homered for the third time and Jonathan Schoop added his second for Baltimore. Colby Rasmus had two hits, two RBIs and scored twice.
Chad Kuhl was knocked around in a start for Pittsburgh’s split squad, pitching 2 1/3 innings and allowing eight runs on seven hits and three walks. Starling Marte had two hits, including an RBI triple, to raise his average to .526.
BLUE JAYS 6, TIGERS 3
Curtis Granderson hit his fourth home run and tripled for the second time this spring for Toronto. Teoscar Hernandez capped a five-run first inning with a grand slam off Detroit starter Mike Fiers. Jaime Garcia started for the Blue Jays, pitching three scoreless innings and striking out two. Miguel Cabrera doubled and walked for Detroit.
RED SOX-TWINS, PPD.
Brian Dozier singled and scored, then hit a two-run homer during Minnesota’s nine-run first inning against Boston in a game that started late before being rained out.
GIANTS (SS) 9, ANGELS (SS) 8
Mike Trout homered, doubled and singled for Los Angeles, driving in two runs and scoring twice. Albert Pujols and Kole Calhoun both added two-run singles the Angels’ split-squad team.
Pablo Sandoval drove in two runs for a second straight day for San Francisco’s split squad.
GIANTS (SS) 11, ANGELS (SS) 7
Brandon Belt hit a solo home run and an RBI double and Jarrett Parker and Nick Hundley also homered for San Francisco. Luis Valbuena had two hits, including a three-run homer, and Eric Young Jr. added two hits and a stolen base for Los Angeles’ split squad.
WHITE SOX 4, CUBS (SS) 4, 9 INNINGS
Lucas Giolito struck out eight in four innings for the White Sox, allowing one run and two hits. Top prospect Eloy Jimenez hit a two-run homer.
Kyle Schwarber doubled and scored for the Cubs’ split squad. Kyle Hendricks started, pitching four innings and allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven.
INDIANS 8, PADRES 8, 9 INNINGS
Jose Ramirez got his first home run for Cleveland, finishing with two hits and two RBIs. Yandy Diaz added a grand slam in the seventh inning. Francisco Lindor had two hits and swiped his first base for the Indians.
Jose Pirela had three hits for San Diego, including his first spring homer, and is batting .458. Travis Jankowski hit a three-run homer.
BREWERS 9, ROCKIES 2
Lorenzo Cain had two hits for Milwaukee, raising his average to .458, and scored a run on Ryan Braun’s first-inning double. Eric Thames and Jonathan Villar drove in runs and Domingo Santana hit his first home run for the Brewers. Tyler Anderson started for Colorado, pitching three innings and allowing four runs - one earned - on five hits and a walk. David Dahl had a two-run triple.
RANGERS 8, ATHLETICS 2
Elvis Andrus had his first home run and finished with two hits and three RBIs for Texas. Joey Gallo had a two-run single for the Rangers and starter Mike Minor allowed just one hit, pitching four shutout innings. Paul Blackburn started for Oakland, pitching three innings and allowing two runs on two hits and two walks. Jake Smolinski hit his third home run for the Athletics.
DIAMONDBACKS 10, ROYALS 3
David Peralta and Ketel Marte both had three hits for Arizona. Taijuan Walker started for the Diamondbacks, pitching two innings and allowing two runs on three hits and two walks. Jason Hammel also lasted just two innings in his second start for Kansas City, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks. Paulo Orlando drove in a run with his fifth double of the spring for the Royals.
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