MESA http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey , Ariz. (AP) — When spring training opened, one of Oakland’s biggest questions was its catching situation following the departure of Jonathan Lucroy. er and signed Chris Herrmann to a one-year deal in December. It’s a good thing they added Nick Hundley, too.Herrmann had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee this past week. That leaves Phegley and Hundley behind the plate.“No one knew what direction they were going to go,” said Phegley, who is entering his fifth year with the A’s. “We’re all good options.”The 35-year-old Hundley agreed to a minor league deal with Oakland last month. He spent the previous two seasons with San Francisco, batting .241 with 10 homers in 96 games last year.Hundley isn’t taking anything for granted. He has an opt out in his contract that Oakland has to decide on by Thursday. That’s also the day the Athletics leave for Japan, where they will open the regular season on March 20 against the Mariners.“They haven’t told me anything,” Hundley said Sunday. “If something happens before that or I go somewhere else — I don’t put the cart before the horse ever. We’re living day to day.”Oakland manager Bob Melvin likes Phegley and Hundley as options. How much playing time each will get is still to be determined.“How it splits up, we’ll see,” Melvin said. “It might be matchups. Obviously, we have analytics that may suggest certain pitchers for certain guys. We want to keep them both healthy. Nick has had some knee stuff in the past. It will allow both of them to get enough playing time to be comfortable and not sit too long.”The A’s had planned on a platoon with Herrmann, who bats left-handed, and Phegley, who is a right-handed hitter. Instead Pedro Martinez Jersey , they now have two right-handed hitting catchers.“Things tend to work their way out,” Melvin said. “I’m very comfortable with both guys we have now.”Hundley made 70 starts last season for the Giants, subbing for Buster Posey when he was injured. He has had to cram this spring to learn the A’s pitchers.“You can talk to them as much as you want but until you get into live action and see what they like to do and what they need out of me, that’s the biggest thing is making them comfortable with me, making them not skip a beat,” Hundley said.On Sunday, Hundley was matched up with Jesus Luzardo, a touted prospect who is competing for a spot in Oakland’s rotation.“His stuff is dynamite,” Hundley said. “He’s been really impressive. I’ve been able to catch him a couple times. He’s been lights out. It’s one of those things where you see a 21-year-old who has a lot of potential.”Luzardo struck out five while pitching four innings of one-run ball in Oakland’s 5-4 split-squad victory over San Francisco. He surrendered his first earned run this spring on Aramis Garcia’s RBI single in the first.“He could be a front of the rotation guy for a long time,” Hundley said. “His mindset, his ability to be aggressive in the zone, and his arm is lightning fast. He’s got a lot of talent and when he gets in there and is aggressive like that, the sky’s the limit for him.”Luzardo is glad Hundley is on the A’s, too.“We have a good connection Max Kepler Jersey ,” Luzardo said. “He’s the man. Having a vet like that is a good confidence boost to have as a pitcher.”NOTES: Melvin said the A’s will go with relievers in their first exhibition game in Japan on March 17 and Brett Anderson will start the second one. … Mike Fiers will start on opening day against the Mariners at the Tokyo Dome. “It’s an honor to start the season off for this team and get them off on the right foot and set the tempo for the year,” Fiers said Sunday. “Any start is big for me. You’re always nervous, excited, there’s so many emotions that go into these games. You have to just control them and go out and be myself and pitch and not try to overdue it.” … Former A’s outfielder Coco Crisp, 39, is now on the Oakland radio broadcast team. Melvin said it’s a good fit. “He knows the game,” Melvin said. “I’ve told him that — ‘You’re one of the easiest guys I’ve ever had to manage’ because he understands the game and you know he’s going to be prepared to play. You just let him do his thing.” HOUSTON (AP) — Houston shortstop Carlos Correa was scratched from the team’s 5-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday because of a sore neck.The Astros don’t think the problem is serious, but there’s a chance he won’t be ready for the start of the regular season Thursday. Manager AJ Hinch said Correa was “uncomfortable” after being tagged in a rundown in Friday’s game.“We can’t dwell on it,” Hinch said. “We’ll see if he can play on Thursday. We don’t think it’s a long-term serious issue, but I don’t love the fact that we’ve had to scratch him … and that he’s heading into the season having not played for a few days.”Hinch said Correa has still been doing baseball activities despite not appearing in a game since Friday.“He’s taken ground balls and he’s done a lot, he’s hit a little bit in the cage,” Hinch said. “But I’m not going to play him until he’s ready.”Correa’s setback comes a season after he missed six weeks with a back injury that lingered throughout the season. He 13 homers and 49 RBIs the first half of last season, but he never got over a pinched nerve in a disc in his back in the second half and batted just .180 with two home runs and 16 RBIs.The back problem left him with the lowest batting average of his four-year career (.239) and his fewest hits (96), doubles (20) Zach Duke Jersey , homers (15) and RBIs (65).THE FUTUREThe Astros got a good look at two of their top pitching prospects on Tuesday in J.B. Bukauskas and Corbin Martin.Bukauskas started for Houston and allowed three hits and two runs while striking out three in four innings to give him a 1.69 ERA this spring. Bukauskas, who was the 15th overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft, hasn’t ascended past Double-A in his first two seasons in the organization.It will be some time before he’s part of the big league club, but the Astros are high on the 22-year-old right hander. He’ll probably start the season in Double-A, but is likely to see time at Triple-A Round Rock before the end of this season.Martin took over for the fifth and struck out six and walked three without allowing a hit in four scoreless innings. The right-hander could get a shot with the Astros sooner than Bukauskas, but is likely to open the 2019 season in Round Rock.Martin, who was drafted in the second round in 2017 out of Texas A&M, went 7-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 21 games with 18 starts in Double-A last season. Hinch raved about the 23-year-old.“I love him,” Hinch said. “I love what he can offer as a pitcher. He’s got a lot of characteristics that we see in major league starters and that’s exciting to see.”Hinch said it’s easy to project Martin as an MLB starter because he has four pitches and has shown he is capable of retaining his velocity throughout an outing. With a rotation headlined by veterans Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, the Astros likely won’t be looking for another starter this season. But if they do, Hinch can see Martin being the guy.“He can impact us this season,” Hinch said. “I don’t know if we’ll need it. I don’t know if he’ll pitch well enough to warrant a call-up, but if he does I’ve really enjoyed his way.”Brandon Maurer started for the Pirates on Tuesday and struck out one in a perfect inning.HOMERSMelky Cabrera’s first home run this spring put the Pirates up 2-0 in the fourth inning. George Springer went deep for the second time this spring when he connected off Eduardo Vera on a solo shot in the bottom of the inning.UP NEXTPirates: RHP Jameson Taillon will make his first career opening day start when the Pirates begin the season on Thursday at Cincinnati.Astros: Verlander will make his 11th career opening day start and his second straight with the Astros when they open the season on Thursday at Tampa Bay.