Today’s desert duel between the Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds was about as Spring Training as a Spring Training game can be. We got our first looks at guys playing for their new teams, as Yusei Kikuchi and Edwin Encarnación debuted for the M’s and Alex Wood was adorned in red for the first time. We also got a glimpse of both teams’ futures, as prospects showcased the upsides that scouts have foretold.
Action revved up immediately as Kikuchi took the mound for his initial outing in America. Facing a consensus top-ten prospect in Nick Senzel, a consensus top-ten first baseman in Joey Votto, and a consensus top-ten heartthrob in Yasiel Puig, Kikuchi completed a tidy 1-2-3 inning.