SURPRISE, Ariz. — Kyle McClellan pitched in a game setting for the first time in 10 months, and he couldn’t have been more pleased with the results.
McClellan worked two scoreless innings in the Texas Rangers’ 12-3 victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday afternoon at Surprise Stadium, and felt no pain in his first game action since last May when elbow and shoulder injuries sidelined him for the season.McClellan, a candidate for the fifth spot in the Rangers’ rotation, threw 24 pitches and allowed no hits with no strikeouts and one walk. He still felt the effects of returning to game action, though.“I got tired just from the adrenaline going and the game speed,” McClellan said. “You can throw 100 pitches in the bullpen, but I got out there about halfway through the first inning and it was different than what I’ve been doing. You can’t get ready to pitch in games until you’re in games.”The Rangers don’t have a front-runner for the fifth spot at this point, and McClellan could pitch his way into the role. And he made a nice first impression on manager Ron Washington.“I don’t think they centered a ball on him,” Washington said. “Two easy innings. It’s nice to see him come out, but the main thing is he got out of it healthy.”Washington also liked what he saw from starter Alexi Ogando, who had his best outing of the spring. Ogando turned in four scoreless innings, scattering two hits with three walks and three strikeouts.Washington called it a “100 percent turnaround” for Ogando, who went into the game with a 5.68 ERA in Cactus League play.“I think I’m gradually getting to that stage where I want to be,” Ogando said.The Rangers got plenty of offense. Jeff Baker continued his dominant spring by going 2 for 2 with a solo home run in the fourth. Mike Olt also went deep with a two-run blast in the eighth, his second of the spring.Drew Davison, 817-390-7760 Twitter: @drewdavison
