CLEVELAND: Indians manager Manny Acta thinks that the Texas Rangers are the top of the line in the American League.
“I think they’re the best team in the AL,” he said. “Going to the World Series in back-to-back years tells you that. They have everything, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to win every day.”
HARD FEELINGS — When Chris Perez retired Alex Rios on a groundout to shortstop to end Thursday night’s game in Chicago, Perez let out a kind of victory shout, something he has done often.
Apparently, Rios took offense and glared at the Tribe closer before walking off the field.
“I yelled like I usually do, but I wasn’t yelling at him,” Perez said. “And I wasn’t yelling anything in particular.”
Perez said he doesn’t know Rios personally, so there has been no animosity between the two players.
“He did say something to me, but I don’t know what it was,” Perez said. “It might have been in Spanish.”
TRANSACTION — Ryan Spilborghs was traded to the Rangers on Friday for cash. He has been assigned to Triple-A. He was batting .250 with one homer and 13 RBI in 21 games.
Spilborghs was in the hunt to be the Tribe’s backup outfielder until late in spring training.
FARM FACTS — Ezequiel Carrera and Chad Huffman each had had two hits and two RBI, as Columbus beat Gwinnett 12-8 in Class AAA. … Mike Rayl (3-3, 2.67 ERA) threw six scoreless innings, allowing two hits, and Jesus Aguilar homered twice in Carolina’s 3-0 win over Lynchburg in Class A. Aguilar has five homers for the season.
— Sheldon Ocker
