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Kang gets work at shortstop

From Mirror, wire reports

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Jung Ho Kang played seven innings at shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Friday’s 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Grapefruit League action.

Kang, who has hit six home runs this spring for the Pirates (13-13-2), has played third base and second base mostly in his time in Pittsburgh.

He had three balls hit two him during the game, throwing out two runners and getting a runner out at second on a force play. Offensively, he went 2-for-3 with a double.

Pablo Reyes played the entire game in center field and finished 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Teammate Josh Bell went for 1-for-3.

Brandon Waddell, Francisco Liriano and Angel German each gave up a run. Reliever Tate Scioneaux worked two scoreless innings, giving up just one hit while Geoff Hartlieb got four outs in one-plus inning of work without a hit.

The Pirates play two games today with a split-squad scrimmage against the Phillies and Red Sox. Jordan Lyles will start against the Phillies while Jameson taillon is scheduled to pitch against Boston.

Elsewhere:

n Cincinnati Reds All-Star second baseman Scooter Gennett injured his right leg while fielding a grounder against Milwaukee and was helped off the field. Gennett ranged to his left for a ball off the bat of Yasmani Grandal leading off the second inning Friday. Gennett slid to make the stop and threw to pitcher Robert Stephenson covering first for the out. Gennett went to his knees and was helped off by Reds head athletic trainer Steve Baumann and manager David Bell. The 28-year-old Gennett reached the majors with the Brewers in 2013 and was claimed off waivers by his hometown Reds near the end of spring training two years ago. He made his first All-Star team last season, hitting .310 with 23 homers and 92 RBIs. Top prospect Nick Senzel could be a candidate to replace Gennett. Senzel was reassigned to minor league camp earlier Friday.

n A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press the St. Louis Cardinals and slugging first baseman Paul Goldschmidt are nearing completion of a $130 million, five-year deal that would make him the highest-paid player in club history. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Goldschmidt must still pass a physical, which was expected to take place Friday. An announcement could come today. The Athletic was first to report that a deal was close. The Cardinals acquired the 31-year-old Goldschmidt in a trade with Arizona in the offseason. Goldschmidt had just one year left on his contract, though, and his new deal would keep him with St. Louis through 2024.

n Oakland Athletics first baseman Matt Olson underwent surgery on his right hand Friday after getting injured on a foul tip in his final at-bat during Thursday’s 5-4, 12-inning loss to the Mariners in Tokyo. Olson’s procedure was performed by Dr. Steven Shin at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles. The team said the operation involved a right hamate excision. No timeline for his recovery was provided. The Gold Glove first baseman played all 162 games last season as the A’s returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Olson hit 29 homers and drove in 85 runs last year in his first full major league season. Olson, majors home run leader Khris Davis and third baseman Matt Chapman gave 97-win Oakland quite the slugging lineup.

n Matt Wieters has been added to the St. Louis Cardinals’ roster after earning the back-up job behind catcher Yadier Molina. Wieters’ contract was selected Friday from Triple-A Memphis. He gets a $1.5 million salary while in the major leagues and $200,000 while in the minors. He can earn $500,000 in performance bonuses based on games: $100,000 each for 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80. A four-time All-Star with Baltimore from 2009-16, Wieters was competing with Francisco Pena for the back-up job. He spent the past two seasons with Washington. He hit .238 with eight homers and 30 RBIs last year, when he was sidelined between March 31 and April 12 with a strained left oblique muscle and between May 10 and July 9 with a strained left hamstring.

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