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Baseball Notes: A-Rod makes his first appearance at first base

Alex Rodriguez played first base for the first time in his professional career Sunday, handling three chances in three innings during the New York Yankees' 7-0 win over the Houston Astros.

Alex Rodriguez played first base for the first time in his professional career Sunday, handling three chances in three innings during the New York Yankees' 7-0 win over the Houston Astros.

"It was fun," Rodriguez said. "It was quite interesting, after 20 years in the league, to see the game from a totally different lens."

The 39-year-old, who lost his third-base job to Chase Headley during a season-long drug suspension, caught Headley's throw following Jose Altuve's grounder leading off the bottom of the first.

He bobbled Evan Gattis' second-inning grounder to his right, recovered and threw to pitcher Nathan Eovaldi at first for the out. He caught second baseman Stephen Drew's throw on Colby Rasmus' two-out grounder. Yankees manager Joe Girardi took out Rodriguez after 3 1/2 innings.

A-Rod has played 1,272 games at shortstop and 1,189 at third in his big league career.

Girardi is not looking to use Rodriguez at first base during the regular season but said that "if something happens to one of our other guys, I would feel comfortable throwing him out there."

Indians add to rotation   

Zach McAllister and T.J. House have won the two open jobs in Cleveland's starting rotation.

Manager Terry Francona told the pitchers before House started an exhibition against the Chicago White Sox. The lefthanded House and McAllister will follow Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer in a rotation the Indians hope can keep them in contention this season.

House went 5-3 with a 3.35 ERA in 18 starts for the Indians last year. McAllister, who made 15 starts, is scheduled to pitch the home opener April 10 against Detroit.

McAllister pitched in relief to end last season. The Indians considered using him out of the bullpen again, but the righthander earned the starting job with a strong spring.

Gonzalez pain-free

Colorado Rockies rightfielder Carlos Gonzalez felt pain in his surgically repaired left knee during a workout on Friday and panicked.

"I was really scared because all of the things I went through in the offseason," he said Sunday. "And then you start feeling weak again."

The two-time all-star declared himself pain-free two days after leaving early in a game against San Diego. He was a little disappointed he wasn't in the starting lineup against Arizona and attributed the decision to head athletic trainer Keith Dugger.

Gonzalez has played in only 180 of a possible 324 games the last two seasons because of a sprained right middle finger, a tumor on his left index finger and a torn patella tendon that ended his season last August.

Garcia scratched

Jaime Garcia was scratched from Sunday's start by the St. Louis Cardinals because his surgically-repaired shoulder doesn't feel right, making it unlikely he will start the season on the active roster.

Garcia, who had been among three pitchers competing for the fifth starter's job, told the Cardinals on Saturday that his shoulder hadn't recovered from Tuesday's simulated game

Shoulder issues have limited the 28-year-old to only 16 starts over the last two seasons.

Manager Mike Matheny didn't specify a timetable for Garcia's return.