PHOENIX (AP) — Shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima made a point of walking across the clubhouse to greet pitcher Bartolo Colon.
The new face of the Oakland Athletics’ infield, and an old, familiar one.
Nakajima arrived in the desert Jan. 31 to get acclimated and acquainted with his teammates, while Colon showed up Monday eager and thankful for a fresh start. The right-hander received a 50-game suspension last August for a positive testosterone test and missed out on the thrilling finish as the A’s rallied to capture the AL West from Texas on the season’s final day.
Colon still must sit out the first five games of the regular season to complete his penalty. Now nearly 40 — his birthday is May 24 — he received a $3 million, one-year deal in November.
