BRADENTON, Fla. — Braxton Ashcraft worked 5• innings of one run ball Wednesday afternoon in leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers in Grapefruit League action.

Ashcraft struck out eight and the one run he gave up was unearned. He scattered five hits and did not walk a batter. His earned-run average this spring is 2.03 in four starts.

Tyler Callihan homered for the Pirates, who improved to 16-9. Oneil Cruz and Joey Bart each drove in a run for the Pirates. Dennis Santana struck out two in a scoreless inning of relief.

The Pirates will play Baltimore this evening at 6:05. Cam Sanders is expected to start for Pittsburgh.

Ohtani back

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Shohei Ohtani reached back for the heater and found it, blazing a 99-mph fastball past Willy Adames for his first strikeout of the afternoon on Wednesday.

For a guy who hasn’t spent much time on the mound over the past 2¢ years, he doesn’t seem remotely rusty.

The Japanese two-way star was in top form during his spring training debut on the mound, giving up one hit, two walks and a hit by pitch while striking out four over 4• scoreless innings against the San Francisco Giants.

He threw 61 pitches, including 34 strikes.

Ohtani was unfazed by record-hot conditions in Arizona, needing just five pitches to breeze through the first inning as temperatures pushed 100 degrees at Camelback Ranch.

Meanwhile, teammate Roki Sasaki had another up-and-down performance in a spring training game against the Kansas City Royals as he tries to solidify his spot in the starting rotation.

The 24-year-old Japanese right-hander got off to a good start, giving up one hit, walking one and striking out two through two scoreless innings.

But after fanning Gavin Cross to start the third, he lost command, walking three straight. He gave up four hits and three earned runs. He walked four and struck out five

Mariner hurting

PEORIA, Ariz. — Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford’s status for the start of the season remains uncertain as he continues to deal with a shoulder problem.

Mariners manager Dan Wilson told reporters Wednesday that Crawford had consulted with Dr. Keith Meister and had received a cortisone injection in his shoulder. Wilson noted that Crawford’s availability for the Mariners’ season opener remains up in the air.

Crawford, 31, batted .265 with a .352 on-base percentage, 12 homers, 58 RBIs and eight steals in 157 games last season. He has appeared in at least 145 games four of the past five seasons.

Yanks’ ace debuts

TAMPA, Fla. — Gerrit Cole returned to a mound to pitch in a game after a 377-day absence and threw a scoreless first inning Wednesday for the New York Yankees in an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox.

Cole threw 10 pitches, seven for strikes, including six four-seam fastballs that averaged 97.1 mph, ranging from 98.7 mph 96.1 mph. He threw two sliders and a pair of knuckle-curves.

Cole wasn’t happy with his command.

“It was not great today. Not objectively,” he said on the YES Network broadcast. “It has been really good recently but probably today was the worst it’s been. So it was serviceable for the most part, but I would say it was another level of intensity out there. The velocity creeped up.”

His first pitch, a 96.6 mph fastball to Braiden Ward, was bunted to the right side for a single as Cole slid toward the base trying to field it. Ward stole second, held as Kristian Campbell flied out and was caught stealing third by catcher Austin Wells.

A 35-year-old right-hander, Cole had Tommy John surgery on March 11 last year. His last official outing was in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series that Oct. 30. The six-time All-Star pitched in two spring training games in 2025, the last on March 6.

Boone projects Cole to make his season debut in late May or early June.

Starting on the IL

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jose Berrios won’t be ready for the start of the season after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right elbow.

Berrios had met with Dr. Keith Meister regarding what the Blue Jays were describing as inflammation in his elbow. Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters Wednesday about Berrios’ diagnosis.

Berrios, 31, went 9-5 with a 4.17 ERA in 31 appearances for the Blue Jays last season. He ended the season on the injury list.