Royals expect Salvador Perez to be ready for opener

Kansas City expects All-Star catcher Salvador Perez to be ready for its opener at Minnesota on April 3 after tests showed inflammation but no structural damage in his injured left knee.

The Royals are concerned about his hyperextended left elbow, and manager Ned Yost said Perez probably will be ready to play in a week.

Perez was injured Saturday while playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. He was hurt in a collision at the plate with his Royals backup, Drew Butera, who was playing for Italy.

''The MRI came out really, really good,'' Yost said Wednesday. ''But what's bothering him more than his knee is his left elbow because he kind of hyperextended his left elbow on the tag, too.''

''He's got a little fluid on that, too,'' Yost added. ''That's probably going to delay him a lot more than the knee will cause that's the hand he gets extended on.''

Perez is a four-time All-Star and Gold Glove.

''You think I'm going to miss opening day?'' he said. ''I don't think so.''

NORRIS RELEASED

Derek Norris was released by the Washington Nationals, who reacquired him in December from San Diego for minor league right-hander Pedro Avila. Norris became expendable in February, when the Nationals signed four-time All-Star catcher Matt Wieters.

By releasing Norris ahead of a deadline later this week, the Nationals owe him $688,525 in termination pay, instead of his full $4.2 million salary for 2017. Had the club released him later in spring training, the termination pay would have increased to $1,032,787.

''Whatever happens, happens,'' Norris said when Wieters agreed to sign with Washington, ''but as of right now, today, I'm going out and I want to start opening day and start every single day. Obviously that's probably not going to be the way things pan out, but that's the kind of player I am and always will be.''

AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUES

RAYS 3, RED SOX 3, 9 INNINGS

Boston said AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello will be its opening-day starter against Pittsburgh, the third in three years for the Red Sox after Clay Buchholz in 2015 and David Price last year. Price is likely to start the season on the disabled list because of a sore elbow, and Porcello was chosen over Chris Sale, acquired from the Chicago White Sox in December.

Red Sox prospect Sam Travis hit his third homer, a solo drive, and Andrew Benintendi had a sacrifice fly.

Casey Gillespie hit a solo home run for Tampa Bay.

GIANTS 7, ANGELS 4

Madison Bumgarner allowed one hit in six scoreless innings, struck out three and walked one.

Mike Trout hit an RBI double for the Angels and scored on Albert Pujols' single.

Michael Morse, who won a World Series in his only other season with San Francisco in 2014, went 2 for 2 with two RBIs. Morse is battling for a roster spot.

WHITE SOX 7, ROYALS 3

Top Chicago prospect Yoan Moncada had two homers and three RBIs, and Avisail Garcia and Cody Asche also went deep for Chicago.

Raul Mondesi homered for Kansas City, and Jason Hammel allowed two runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings.

MARLINS 6, METS 2

Matt Harvey gave up a leadoff double to Dee Gordon in the first and allowed four runs - two earned - and five hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Tim Tebow singled twice and made a diving catch at the right-field warning track, his best day as a professional baseball player.

Miami's Justin Nicolini gave up three hits in three scoreless innings, and Stephen Fife followed and blanked the Mets over three innings on two hits.

TIGERS 8, BRAVES 6

Andrew Romine hit a two-run homer and Justin Upton singled and scored twice for Detroit. Atlanta starter R.A. Dickey gave up six runs - five earned runs - in 4 1/3 innings. Matt Kemp hit a two-run double, and Kurt Suzuki followed with a two-run homer to chase starter Jordan Zimmerman, who has a 15.00 ERA after allowing four runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning.

PIRATES 6, ORIOLES 5

Jameson Taillon allowed one run and two hits in four innings, and David Freese hit RBI double. Ubaldo Jimenez gave up three runs and two hits in 4 2/3 innings.

TWINS 8, CARDINALS 0

Minnesota starter Adalberto Mejia struck out eight and walked none in 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits. Joe Mauer hit a two-run double off Mike Leake, who allowed three runs and four hits in four innings.

ASTROS 8, NATIONALS 2

Nationals starter A.J. Cole gave up seven runs, six hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings, including home runs by Brian McCann and Jon Kemmer. Joe Nathan pitched a one-hit sixth.

Houston's Joe Musgrove gave up two runs and three hits in four innings.

RANGERS 12, INDIANS 11

Yan Gomes homered and had three hits for Cleveland. Brandon Guyer added two hits and two RBIs.

Shin-Soo Choo had a pair of hits for Texas, and Carlos Gomez had an RBI.

Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer allowed five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.

DODGERS 12, MARINERS 7

Los Angeles starter Brandon McCarthy allowed three runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings, including home runs by Ben Gamel and Leonys Martin.

Mariners starter Chris Heston yielded home runs to Justin Turner and Trayce Thompson, allowing three runs, three walks and three hits in 2 1/3 innings.

Casey Fien struck out two in 1 2/3 perfect innings, and Jarrod Dyson went 3 for 3 with two stolen bases.

REDS 8, PADRES 7

Cody Reed struck out seven in 3 2/3 innings, giving up three runs - two earned - and four hits. Billy Hamilton went 3 for 3 with a double and two stolen bases.

Padres starter Clayton Richard allowed three runs and five hits in 3 1/3 innings, including Zack Cozart's home run. Hunter Renfroe hit his first home run of spring training.

ROCKIES 5, BREWERS 4

Kyle Freeland struck out five and gave up five hits in five scoreless innings for the Rockies, and Greg Holland won with a hitless ninth.

Milwaukee starter Chase Anderson allowed one run, four hits and four walks in four innings. Jacob Barnes wasted a lead, giving up two runs on two hits without an out.

YANKEES 3, PHILLIES 1

Yankees starter Michael Pineda and Aroldis Chapman combined for six innings of hitless ball. Freddy Galvis had a leadoff single against Chad Green to break up the no-hit bid in the seventh.

Pineda had eight strikeouts without a walk in five innings. Green retired nine straight with three strikeouts for the save.

Greg Bird homered for the Yankees. Phillies starter Clay Buchholz allowed two runs and five hits in five innings.

DIAMONDBACKS 7, CUBS 3

Arizona starter Taijuan Walker allowed three runs and seven hits in four innings, including homers by Ben Zobrist and Addison Russell.

Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks gave up five hits and two earned runs in four innings. Oswaldo Arcia doubled and homered for the Diamondbacks.