GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Triston McKenzie got his first big league Spring Training game under his belt. Now, he’s ready to find his second gear.

McKenzie followed Cal Quantrill’s opening act of two scoreless frames in the Indians' 5-1 victory over the Reds on Sunday afternoon. Although McKenzie was also scheduled to toss two frames, he was pulled after 1 2/3 innings because his pitch count started to escalate.

“I don’t have the specific number, but I bet you -- I think he threw 41, 42 pitches -- I bet you his strikes-to-balls was just about even,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “I know it’s the first game, but we walked a lot of guys, especially leading off innings -- things like that. Those are things that, as guys get their legs under them, we certainly want to take care of because that’s a hard way to win a close game like that. But that’s their first time out there.”

McKenzie finished his Cactus League debut after allowing one run on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

“I mean, I wouldn't say I'm where I want to be,” McKenzie said. “I'm not necessarily upset with where I am, but I definitely think there needs to be some more growth, and it definitely needs to happen quickly.”

McKenzie learned from his experience in 2020, when he pitched to a 3.24 ERA in eight games (six starts) after missing the previous two years due to injuries. The 23-year-old right-hander didn’t want to make many changes to his offseason routine. Instead, he used his experience to better prepare himself for what’s to come in '21. But McKenzie said Sunday that he still has a few things to improve on over the next four weeks of camp.

“I'd say, mainly it's just the game intensity,” McKenzie said. “I feel like this is the first go-around since last season. And with Spring Training comes a little bit of -- for me -- just kind of easing into the season and figuring out what intensity to be at and how to get there consistently. I feel like playing baseball is a very, very competitive game and just in Spring Training, it's finding that mindset.

“So I'm looking forward to kind of just figuring that out. And all my pitches felt good, my body felt good; it's just kind of like finding that next gear.”

Giménez impresses in Tribe debut

The Indians have only had drills and a two-and-a-half-inning intrasquad game to evaluate their players over the last two weeks. While the club has a handful of young prospects in camp battling for positions on the Opening Day roster, the team also has new faces that were acquired in the offseason that it was ready to see in game action.

On Sunday, Andrés Giménez, who was part of the return package in the Francisco Lindor trade, gave his new club a taste of his potential. He began with an RBI triple in the second before leading off the fifth with a single.

“I don’t care what time of year it is, it’s fun to brag about these guys,” Francona said. “And I know two hits on Feb. 28 doesn’t make a player, but it’s fun to watch and see him hit the ball. And not to just settle for a double, but take the triple.”

In between his hits, Giménez made a tremendous relay throw home from shallow right field to throw out Mark Payton in the third.

“Those guys really bailed me out with that throw right there,” McKenzie said. “I think it was just kind of an all-around good play to kind of bail me out.”

Naylor scratched

In the Indians’ intrasquad game Saturday, outfielder Josh Naylor tripped over first base as he was rounding the bag on a fly ball. He limped off the field and was evaluated by the training staff but he was able to head back out to right field the next inning. However, the Indians decided against putting him in Sunday’s lineup.

“He really wanted to play,” Francona said. “After [head athletic trainer James Quinlan] talked to him a little bit, we just thought that didn't make much sense. He's such a good kid. He was apologizing. I'm like, 'Why would you apologize? You didn't try to hurt your ankle.' We'll give him tomorrow to kind of ramp back up and then we'll put him back in the lineup on Tuesday.”

Shaw’s return to Cleveland

Bryan Shaw and Francona joked as soon as the reliever was signed about his history of not performing well in Spring Training. But on Sunday, he got off to a solid start by tossing one scoreless inning with one walk and one strikeout to earn the win.

“I told B when he came out of the game, he's already ahead of his first five springs here,” Francona joked. “I thought the ball came out of his hand really well.”