Gray on track in rehab start for Ports

Sonny Gray never got the chance to pitch in the California League on his way to the Majors. Chances are, he would have preferred not to at this stage of his career, but after an injury-plagued 2016 season followed by another ailment this spring, the 27-year-old has quickly realized that a player's mortality is a very real thing.
Gray took his first step toward returning to a big league mound on Saturday with a rehab start in Stockton. The right-hander faced one batter over the minimum in five innings, allowing one hit and fanning six while throwing 34 of 47 pitches for strikes in the Ports' 7-0 blanking of San Jose at Banner Island Ballpark.

Box score
Gray (1-0) made two Cactus League starts for the A's and was slated to be the their Opening Day starter until a lat strain knocked him out of action. The setback was a frustrating carryover from 2016, when he made two trips to the disabled list with a strained right trapezius muscle and a right forearm strain. After going 28-17 with a 2.91 ERA from 2014-15, Gray was 5-11 with a 5.69 ERA in 22 starts last year.
"It's a tough game and it will test you a lot," he told reporters after his outing. "I've had a goal to get back there on the mound as soon as possible but also to be as safe as possible. I need to make sure I feel good throwing the ball. It's tested me a lot this last year, but just to continue to be around the guys in Oakland and seeing what they're doing, it just pushes you even harder to get back out there and be a part of it. This is a really good step in the right direction for me to do that."
The 2015 American League All-Star retired the first six batters Saturday, striking out the side in the second inning. Christoph Bono singled to left leading off the third for San Jose's only hit against Gray, who threw 13 more pitches in the bullpen to reach his limit of 60 for the night.
"It's been awhile since I've been in a competitive game," the Vanderbilt product said. "I showed up early to get a feel for the guys and be in the clubhouse. It's a game and these guys are out there fighting. It's fun to watch, it's exciting to watch and I'm glad I could be a small part of it tonight.
"But the biggest thing for me to take away is that it feels good to feel good again out there. I really don't feel any issues with my elbow, with my lat, anything. Now it's just getting my work in, getting out there and competing, and that's what is exciting to me. I'm feeling healthy and feeling like I can do what I want to with the baseball."
Gray finished third in the 2015 AL Cy Young Award race after going 14-7 with a 2.73 ERA and 169 strikeouts over 208 innings, establishing himself as the ace of the Oakland staff and one of the Majors' top young pitchers. But his injury-riddled 2016 cast doubt over his future, which was not lost on the Tennessee native.
"It's always difficult when there's something you love to do and something you've done your whole life, when that kinda gets taken away from you a little bit," Gray said. "It makes you want to get back out there. I've watched a lot of baseball this last year. For me, to get back out there and be a part of it is something that I really look forward to."
Dustin Hurlbutt and Evan Manarino completed the Ports' second shutout of the season, allowing two hits and two walks while totaling five strikeouts over the final four innings. 

A's No. 30 prospectSkye Bolt drew a bases-loaded walk and scored a run for Stockton. Brandon Cogswell plated a pair, while Chris Iriart doubled twice in four at-bats.
San Jose's Mike Connolly (1-2) allowed two unearned runs on five hits and a walk with six strikeouts in four innings.