Romo, three-time World Series winner, to retire with Giants

AP Photo/Ben Margot
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PHOENIX – Sergio Romo will retire as a member of the San Francisco Giants after helping the franchise win three World Series titles.

The 2013 All-Star was an integral part of the team’s bullpen from 2008 to 2016; the Giants won titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. He also pitched for the Twins, Athletics, Rays, Dodgers, Mariners, Marlins and Blue Jays.

Romo signed a minor league deal with an invite to big-league spring training. He’ll officially retire during San Francisco’s final exhibition game on March 27 when the Giants host the A’s at Oracle Park.

“The relationship that Giants fans have with their players is unique – few exemplify that bond more than Sergio,” Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said in a statement Saturday. “After all that he accomplished as a Giant from 2008 to 2016, including his huge contributions to the championship teams, it’s a thrill to have him back in a San Francisco uniform.”

Romo is one of the most accomplished relievers in franchise history. His 515 games pitched with the team rank fifth all-time, while his 84 saves rank seventh.

Romo’s 27 postseason games pitched are also the most in franchise history. He struck out Miguel Cabrera to clinch the Giants’ sweep of the Tigers in the 2012 World Series.

Romo had a 42-36 record, a 3.21 ERA, 137 saves, 789 strikeouts in 15 big-league seasons.

NIMMO STRAINS

Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo has a strained knee and ankle and will be re-evaluated on a week-to-week basis, general manager Billy Eppler told reporters on Saturday.

Nimmo was trying to break up a double play at second base on Friday but slid awkwardly into the bag. He stayed down for a few moments before limping off the field with medical personnel.

It’s been a tough injury week for the Mets. Closer Edwin Díaz suffered a torn patellar tendon and is expected to miss the entire season after hurting his right knee while celebrating Puerto Rico’s victory over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.

Pitch clock sparks Mariners rally for 3-0 win over Guardians

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
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SEATTLE – J.P. Crawford was the beneficiary of a pitch-clock violation. One big swing from Ty France made certain it became noteworthy on opening day.

Crawford’s walk helped by a timer infraction called on James Karinchak sparked an eighth-inning rally that was capped by France’s three-run homer, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Cleveland Guardians 3-0 on Thursday night.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of buzz around town about the expectations and what we hope to do this season and you can’t get off on a much better start than we did tonight,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.

Opening day was a dramatic pitchers’ duel between Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and Seattle’s Luis Castillo that lacked any offense until the wild eighth inning.

Crawford walked on a 3-2 pitch but only after being gifted a ball when Karinchak (0-1) committed the lone pitch-clock violation of the game with the count 0-2. The reliever was clearly rattled, firing the pitch after the violation to the backstop. Crawford fouled off a couple of pitches and eventually walked on a check-swing that Cleveland argued should have been a foul ball.

Guardians manager Terry Francona believed the ball had been foul tipped.

“It happens and you’re hoping that doesn’t spur on more, but James had a tough inning … and that made for a tougher inning,” Francona said.

Kolten Wong was hit by a pitch with one out and France went opposite field with a pitch out of the strike zone and cleared the wall down the right-field line.

France doubled off the wall in right-center earlier in the game and finished a triple short of the cycle. His homer ended any flashbacks the Mariners were experiencing from the last time they were in T-Mobile Park last October and lost 1-0 to Houston in 18 innings in the ALDS.

“We hadn’t scored a run in 26 innings so it was time,” France said.

Andrés Muñoz ran into trouble in the ninth, giving up a single to Amed Rosario and a double to José Ramírez with two outs. But the Seattle reliever got Guardians newcomer Josh Bell to ground out for the save, finishing a game that wrapped up in a brisk 2 hours, 14 minutes.

Until the eighth, pitching was the story for both teams looking to replicate their playoff runs from last season.

Castillo was dominant from the outset with another overpowering performance that fell in line with several spectacular starts last season after he was acquired from Cincinnati.

Castillo needed just 74 pitches to get through six innings and that ended up being his limit. He struck out six and the only runner he allowed came on an infield single that clipped the right-hander.

It was a scary moment at first as Will Brennan’s line drive struck the back of Castillo’s head, with most of the impact appearing to be absorbed by the pitcher’s dreadlocks. Castillo said it was about 50/50 between impact on his head and his hair.

“When the ball hit me, I realized that was OK right away,” Castillo said through an interpreter.

Three relievers finished the four-hitter. Paul Sewald (1-0) worked a hitless eighth.

Despite constant traffic on the bases, Bieber kept Seattle off the scoreboard and matched Castillo with six shutout innings. Bieber scattered six hits and struck out three, and most importantly came up with key pitches with two outs and runners in scoring position.

“I couldn’t really buy a clean inning today but that’s what it’s all about, trying to bend not break, and was able to do that for a couple of innings,” Bieber said.

Seattle threatened in the third, fifth and sixth against Bieber but was unable to get a two-out hit with a runner at third. France grounded out in the third and Julio Rodríguez hit a line drive that was run down by Brennan in right-center to end the fifth.

France doubled in the sixth – missing a home run by about a foot – but ended up stuck at third after Cal Raleigh popped out.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: INF Dylan Moore (oblique) remains in Arizona at the club’s spring training facility. Moore was placed on the injured list before the opener, but the team is hopeful he’ll be back by mid-April. … OF Taylor Trammell was also placed on the injured list. Trammell is still a few weeks from getting out on a rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

Guardians: RHP Hunter Gaddis made two starts last season and allowed 15 earned runs in 7 1/3 innings.

Mariners: LHP Robbie Ray threw 13 shutout innings against Cleveland last season in two starts.