MESA, Ariz. - Jharel Cotton made his spring debut for the A’s Tuesday, and, facing the AL champion Indians, the rookie right-hander struck out the first four batters he faced.
Cotton - let’s just call him the A’s fourth starter, even if they’re not calling him that yet - also had a tricky second inning in which the first batter, Abraham Almonte, reached on a strikeout-wild pitch, the next, Chris Colabello, on a walk and the third, Daniel Robertson, on a hit-by-pitch. Cotton got Richie Schaffer to hit a chopper to first, where Yonder Alonso made a terrific diving stop to start a 3-6-1 double play, and while one run scored, Cotton got out of the inning with no further trouble.