LaTroy Hawkins expects to be ready for Opening Day after shoulder surgery - MLB

Last offseason LaTroy Hawkins signed a two-year, $7.5 million deal with the Brewers and then went 0-3 with an 8.44 ERA in 16 innings while trying to pitch through shoulder pain.

He was eventually shut down and underwent surgery on his labrum and rotator cuff in August. Yesterday the 38-year-old reliever told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he’s “doing well” and expects to be ready for Opening Day:

I’ve been throwing pain-free since the start of the year, every other day. I have no tightness like I’d felt before. The strength is there and it’s getting better every day.

Hawkins has yet to throw off a mound, which he’ll try for the first time once pitchers and catchers report to spring training in a couple weeks. Milwaukee owes him $4 million this season, but also brought in some right-handed relief insurance in the form of 41-year-old Takashi Saito.

HOUSTON – Yordan Alvarez hit a go-ahead three-run double in the seventh inning, and the Houston Astros rallied past the Chicago White Sox 6-3 on Friday night for their first win of the season.

Kyle Tucker hit a two-run homer in the sixth and made a spectacular catch at the wall in the seventh to rob Andrew Benintendi of extra bases and keep the World Series champion Astros within one run.

Eloy Jimenez hit two RBI doubles for the White Sox, both off Astros starter Cristian Javier.

Jimenez’s first double scored Tim Anderson in the first inning. In the sixth, Javier gave up three straight doubles to Benintendi, Jimenez and Joan Moncada to make it 3-0 and end his night.

White Sox reliever Kendall Graveman (0-1) loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh on two walks and a single. Jake Diekman came on and gave up Alvarez’s double to deep left-center, a drive that just eluded Luis Robert Jr. and bounced off the wall, clearing the bases.

Four Astros relievers each worked one scoreless inning. Seth Martinez (1-0) got the win and Rafael Montero handled the ninth for his first save.

Chicago starter Lance Lynn allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.

ALL IN A DAY’S REST

White Sox INF Andrew Vaughn, who hit a go-ahead two-run double in Thursday’s season-opening win, did not play. Vaughn experienced lower back issues during spring training. Gavin Sheets started at first base.

HOMETOWN HIT

Astros outfielder Corey Yulks, a Houston-area native, singled in his first at-bat and finished 1-for-4 in his major league debut.

PUT A RING ON IT

Astros owner Jim Crane and his wife, Whitney, presented the team and staff with their 2022 World Series rings in a pregame ceremony.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: LHP Blake Taylor, who is on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow strain, began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land.

UP NEXT

The four-game season-opening series continues Saturday when Houston’s Jose Urquidy faces Chicago’s Lucas Giolito.