SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- While not ruling it out, D-backs manager Torey Lovullo acknowledged that it could be tough for injured right-hander Mike Leake to be ready for Opening Day.
Leake, who reaggravated an old fracture in his left wrist, has been throwing bullpens but cannot yet catch return throws. He is scheduled to start facing hitters in live batting practice sessions from behind a protective screen soon and said he’s hopeful to get in one or two Cactus League games before the spring ends.
That, the veteran said, should be enough to be ready for the regular season.
Lovullo knows Leake is pushing to be ready for the start of the regular season.
“I love where he’s at and I want that optimism to carry him and drive him,” Lovullo said. “But once again, he had a situation with his [wrist] that I don’t want to make worse by making a bad decision and force him to go out there. We need Mike Leake. We need him to go out there and perform and be at his absolute best. When he talks like that, it makes me think he’s feeling pretty good.”
Visit with Herm
Arizona State University head football coach Herm Edwards addressed the D-backs on Friday morning at the behest of Lovullo.
“It was a message of togetherness,” Lovullo said. “It was a message about caring for the right reasons and caring about the person next to you and doing it for each other. He nailed it. He did a great job. He’s just such a great speaker. He had the attention of everyone in the room.”
Lovullo likes to get to know the fellow college and professional coaches in the Valley, and has visited the Arizona Cardinals’ practice as well as attending Phoenix Suns and Arizona State games.
Last year, Lovullo reached out to Edwards and asked him to come talk to the team during the season, but the timing did not work out.
“Herm was outstanding, and I want to say thank you to him for coming out here and giving us some of his free time on a busy day,” Lovullo said.
Correctable mistakes
Lefty Alex Young, whose chances of making the rotation would increase if Leake starts the year on the injured list, allowed three runs on four hits over two-plus innings in Friday’s 6-2 loss to the Mariners.
Young is also a candidate to make the team as a second left-hander in the bullpen.
“I liked the way that Alex was throwing the ball,” Lovullo said. “He made some mistakes in the second inning where things got a little loose with the secondary stuff in the zone and he got hit around. I think those are identifiable things that we talked about and obviously we’ll make sure that he tightens it up, but it’s something that we know he’s trying to get to.”
Don’t forget Bo
Right-hander Bo Takahashi struck out three and tossed a pair of hitless innings to finish up Friday’s game.
“It’s a spin rate fastball, that ball gets on guys,” Lovullo said. “He locates it and when he does throw that secondary stuff, he’s very effective. He was challenging hitters, which we love, and finishing them off, which we work hard on.”
Up next
Taylor Clarke will get his first start of the Cactus League on Saturday as the D-backs travel to Glendale to take on the Dodgers at 1:05 p.m. MT. Clarke pitched in relief this last week and allowed three runs in 1 2/3 innings. Left-hander Robbie Ray will pitch in a backfield game Saturday morning against a Japanese college team.