SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals have released veteran pitchers Brian Duensing and Peter Moylan and infielder Clint Barmes from minor league contracts.

The team announced the cuts on Monday.

Duensing, a 33-year-old left-hander who had a 41-37 record with a 3.61 ERA over seven seasons with Minnesota, had a 2.61 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings in 10 spring games.

Moylan, 37, a right-handed sidearmer, has a 22-9 record with a 2.83 ERA in 331 relief appearances in the majors.

Barmes, 37, has a .245 career batting average in 1,186 big league games with Colorado, Pittsburgh, Houston and San Diego, where he started 51 games at shortstop last season.

— Associated Press —

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Edinson Volquez tuned up for his start on opening day and a Kansas City Royals split squad beat the San Diego Padres 11-3 Monday.

Volquez gave up two runs and five hits, striking out four and walking two. His next start will be Sunday night when the champion Royals host the New York Mets in a World Series rematch.

“I think I get better in spring training,” Volquez said. “Better than last year, the year before, the year before that. My ERA is better than last year. I haven’t pitched good in spring training for a long time. It doesn’t matter what happens here in spring training. I just try to move forward for the first game.”

Volquez finished with a 3.95 ERA this spring after a 6.33 in 2015 and a 9.64 in 2014.

“He threw the ball really well, good life, good command, good breaking ball,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He’s ready to go.”

Lorenzo Cain and Whit Merrifield each homered and drove in three runs. Cain connected with Mike Moustakas aboard in the first and delivered an RBI single in the fourth. Merrifield led off the first with a homer off Drew Pomeranz and contributed a two-run double in the second. Dusty Coleman added a two-run homer in the sixth.

Derek Norris homered on Wade Davis’ first pitch in the sixth. Davis had not given up a run in his first seven outings, covering seven innings.

Pomeranz is competing for the final Padres rotation slot.

“Obviously, I’d like to have another start, not have that be my last one,” Pomeranz said.

STARTING TIME

Padres: Pomeranz surrendered two homers sandwiched around a single to the first three batters.

“I don’t think it (the wind) had much to do with it,” Pomeranz said. “The home runs they hit, they hit pretty hard. It’s a bad pitch selection I guess early on for me. After the first three guys, I kind of settled in and started making some pitches, started pitching.

“I was out there throwing to the first couple of guys. I wasn’t out there pitching yet. It’s a trap you fall into in spring training, trying to work on something, but you have to get guys out.”

Royals: Volquez, who threw 90 pitches, said he would like to take the same stuff, “maybe just a little bit better that that” into his first start.

“I would like to be more ahead in the count,” Volquez said. “So I just want to stay aggressive and attacking those hitters, get more first-pitch strikes so I don’t have to go 3-2 count all the time, like I did today to a few hitters.”

TRAINERS’S ROOM

Padres: RHP Jon Edwards (minor elbow stiffness) has not pitched since March 18. … 1B Brett Wallace (right foot injury) is running the bases but has not played in a Cactus League game since March 13.

PEORIA, Ariz. — Robinson Cano hit a drive over the giant batter’s eye in center field for his seventh spring homer, and the Seattle Mariners rallied for a 6-4 win over a Kansas City Royals split-squad on Monday.

Cano also connected three times in Seattle’s win against the Cubs on Sunday.

Nelson Cruz also homered for the Mariners, who trailed 3-0 through three innings. Cruz hit a solo drive in the fourth, and Cano went deep an inning later.

“Wow, that was a bomb,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said of Cano’s shot. “He’s feeling really good right now. Seeing the ball great. His swing’s on time and we just need to keep him right there for when we get to Arlington.”

The Mariners open the season next Monday at Texas.

The spring game featured a matchup of No. 5 starting pitchers, with Seattle’s Nathan Karns, named to the rotation by Servais before Monday’s start, giving up two earned runs and five hits in six innings.

Karns got the outing he was looking for after a shaky stretch this spring.

“Much better. Felt like a pitcher out there. I was just trying to go in there and throw strikes, try to work ahead,” Karns said. “Be ahead and try not to fall behind. I knew if I found a count where I had to throw a pitch over the plate I was able to do that, and I liked the results after that.”

Kansas City’s Kris Medlen pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed two earned runs and eight hits.

“I felt really good the first three (innings),” Medlen said. “I changed fastball grips in the middle of my windup to Nelson Cruz, for some reason, I have no idea why … But yes, just missed execution. And then to get in a little bit of a jam and have to challenge Robbie Cano, 2-2, 3-2. You’re not going to win a lot of those battles, really. They’re two really good hitters.”

Alcides Escobar tripled and scored twice for the Royals. Both teams committed two errors that led to runs.

MARINERS MOVES

The Mariners optioned 1B-OF Stefen Romero and LF Chris Taylor to Triple-A Tacoma, clearing the way for Luis Sardinas to make the opening-day roster as a utility infielder. Sardinas is hitting .321 with 14 RBI in spring training.

MONTERO CLAIMED

The Mariners lost Jesus Montero on Monday when the 26-year-old first baseman was claimed off waivers by Toronto. Montero, at one time one of the majors’ top catching prospects, appeared in 208 games in parts of four seasons with Seattle, batting .247 with 24 homers and 92 RBI.

The move, combined with Romero being sent to the minors, likely means Korean slugger Dae-Ho Lee will make the major league roster as Seattle’s backup first baseman to Adam Lind.

“It’s leaning that way,” Servais said.

Montero hit .237 in 38 at-bats in spring training games.

STARTING TIME

Royals: Kansas City played its last split-squad game of spring training. Medlen won’t pitch again in Arizona before the regular season.

“The pitches will be there when it counts and physically, getting up over 90 pitches, my body felt great,” he said. “And yeah, anytime you finish a spring training game and you feel good, it’s a pretty big comfort.”

Mariners: Karns is scheduled to make his last spring start on Saturday against Colorado. He is on track to make his first regular-season start in the team’s first series at home against Oakland.

Karns beat out left-hander James Paxton for the last rotation spot. Paxton made 13 major league starts last season, but was optioned to Tacoma earlier on Monday.

“We all know James Paxton is going to be a big part of our team at some point this season,” Servais said. “We’re going to need him, so let’s get him in a good spot mentally.”

Karns, new to Seattle after being acquired from Tampa Bay in the offseason, had kind words for Paxton.

“It’s just a number’s game. He’s a great talent. I know he’ll be back up here before we know it,” Karns said. “I just wish him the best. It’s nice to have that kind of environment here where even though we were challenging and put in a position of competing against each other, we were still supporting one another. That was huge for me, coming in to a new clubhouse.”

UP NEXT

Royals: Yordano Ventura gets his second-to-last tuneup before the regular season with a start Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants.

Mariners: Taijuan Walker is scheduled for his sixth start of the spring Tuesday against Cleveland and Josh Tomlin.

— Associated Press —

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Jed Lowrie and Chris Coghlan hit home runs and Kendall Graveman pitched seven solid innings in the Oakland Athletics’ 10-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Danny Valencia had two hits and drove in a pair of runs and Yonder Alonso added two hits for the A’s. Josh Reddick, Khris Davis and Billy Butler also drove in runs.

“Lowrie seems like he gets a good at-bat every time out,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “He’s been consistent the whole spring.”

Tony Cruz homered in the seventh for the Royals.

Chris Young pitched 4 1/3 innings, giving up five earned runs and nine hits.

Joakim Soria, who gave up his first earned runs of the spring in his last appearance, pitched a perfect seventh for the Royals.

Graveman took a shutout into the seventh. He allowed four hits, struck out six and walked one.

STARTING TIME

Royals: Young was the victim of the Arizona sun as the Royals committed four errors.

“We got him past 90 pitches on his pitch count and that’s the important thing,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “A lot of those balls that found holes wouldn’t be hits during the regular season. All in all, it was a pretty good outing.”

Yost also said that Young will make a “backdown start” in his next outing.

Athletics: Graveman felt this was an important game for him and the team.

“I’ve been getting incrementally better in every game and I wanted to keep that going,” Graveman said. “I think this was in the right direction. I was able to throw all my pitches for strikes. To win this game is big because pretty soon, they’re going to count.”

Graveman was particularity happy with the development of a changeup, a pitch he worked on during the offseason and a pitch he needs.

“I think it weakens the contact and gets them off my fastball,” Graveman said. “I have to be able to throw that pitch to both lefties and righties.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Jarrod Dyson (right oblique strain) has begun a throwing program. He’s expected to return to action by mid-April.

Athletics: OF Sam Fuld returned to camp following the birth of his first child. He’s been out with a sore shoulder. … RHP Henderson Alvarez will throw a bullpen on Tuesday and is expected to throw to hitters when the team returns to Oakland either Saturday or the following Wednesday. … Former A’s shortstop and AL Rookie of the Year Bobby Crosby threw out the first pitch.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez is scheduled to make his first start against a major league team in two weeks and his fourth overall on Monday in Surprise against the San Diego Padres as he prepares for his opening day start. He’ll be opposed by LHP Drew Pomeranz.

Athletics: RHP Jesse Hahn starts Monday’s game in Mesa against the Cleveland Indians and RHP Danny Salazar.

CUTS

Athletics: Optioned OF Jake Smolinski to Triple-A Nashville; Reassigned C Carson Blair to the minor league camp.

— Associated Press —

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Johnny Cueto pitched six innings and singled against his former team and Brandon Belt hit a three-run homer as the San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 8-5 on Friday.

Conor Gillaspie also homered, Denard Span drove in a pair of runs and catching prospect Trevor Brown added a run-scoring double.

Travis Snider and Cory Decker each hit a two-run homer and Paulo Orlando drove in a run for the Royals. Omar Infante went 3 for 4 and scored twice.

Ian Kennedy allowed five runs on six hits in his four innings. He walked a pair and struck out six.

Giants reliever Sergio Romo struck out the side in the ninth.

STARTING TIME

Royals: Kennedy said the biggest takeaway of the day was getting his pitch count up.

“I fell behind a lot of hitters,” he said. “I was hoping to go deeper into the game, get up and down a couple more times, but I threw so many pitches early on. Even the innings I wasn’t giving up runs, I was throwing a lot of pitches.”

Kennedy said his fastball command was not that far off and his changeup was pretty good.

“I was barely missing and I was missing down,” Kennedy said. “With Belt, I didn’t get it quite as high as I wanted. I tried elevating that pitch, but it didn’t happen. It’s about getting ready for the season rather than focus on results.”

With George Kottaras in the original lineup as designated hitter, Kennedy was surprised when Cueto came to bat in the third.

“I heard his name and turned around and saw him,” he said. “I was prepared to face Kottaras.”

Giants: Cueto said he’s ready to start the regular season after throwing over 90 pitches, using everything in his repertoire.

“Everything was working and I felt comfortable,” Cueto said. “My objective was to get my work done and try to throw to the inside when I want and to the outside when I want.”

Cueto led off the third inning with a single to right field and had to hustle to beat a throw by Paulo Orlando. They exchanged a few light-hearted words afterward.

“I had to run hard or get thrown out,” he said. “I don’t like hitting that much, but I do like moving the runner up.”

Cueto enjoyed going up against his old teammates, too.

“It’s always great to face old friends,” Cueto said. “But that’s baseball; one year you’re on a team and the next year you’re with another team.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez (arm fatigue) will have had two weeks between starts when he makes his next appearance Monday. Volquez has thrown in minor-league games. … LHP Tim Collins (left elbow) said he would undergo a second Tommy John surgery after an MRI revealed that the first surgery failed to take hold.

Giants: C Andrew Susac (tendinitis in right hand) has not appeared in a spring game for over a week, although he has been playing in minor league games.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Chien-Ming Wang will make his seventh appearance, second start, on Saturday in Surprise against the Oakland A’s and RHP Chris Bassett.

Giants: RHP Jeff Samardzija will get the call Saturday when San Francisco travels to Mesa to take on Samardzija’s former team Chicago Cubs and RHP John Lackey.

— Associated Press —

PHOENIX (AP) — Chris Carter and Martin Maldonado each hit three-run homers, Wily Peralta threw six strong innings and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Kansas City Royals 9-2 on Thursday.

Ryan Braun was a late scratch for the Brewers due to lower back soreness. He had back surgery in the off-season and was slowly easing back into play (seven at-bats) without any setbacks before Thursday. Braun’s replacement, Eric Young Jr., hit a two-run homer.

“We’re just going to be cautious,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said of his approach to Braun. “He won’t be in there tomorrow. We’ll see for Saturday. I don’t think it’s a red flag. I’m not concerned. We’re just going to be overly cautious at this point. I anticipate him being in there on Saturday.”

Peralta, the Brewers’ No. 1 starter, had his best outing of the spring, allowing four hits and one run, a solo homer to Eric Hosmer. It was the third homer for Hosmer, who is now hitting .400.

“I’m right where I want to be. I feel strong, healthy and now you work to maintain it. That’s all you can ask for,” Hosmer said. “(Royals manager) Ned (Yost) does a great job of easing us back into shape. This is the first week we’re playing three games in a row and it feels just right.”

Reymond Fuentes added his third homer of the spring in the ninth inning for Kansas City. Starter Dillion Gee sailed through the first three innings before allowing the three-run homer to Maldonado in the fourth.

STARTING TIME

Royals: Gee allowed three hits in four innings, getting into trouble in the fourth with two walks, an RBI single by Jonathan Villar and Maldonado’s home run to left center.

“I felt good early. That last inning I lost my release point and struggled with command,” Gee said. “I feel like I have thrown the ball better this spring than I have in other years. I’m healthy and feeling good where I’m at.”

Brewers: Peralta entered the game with an 11.70 ERA but had his best start by far, allowing four hits and striking out three.

FEELING CENTERED

Counsell hasn’t named his starting center fielder. But Keon Broxton sure looks like one, even on a day when he doesn’t get to hit. Broxton made the defensive play of the day for Milwaukee, a diving catch of Whit Merrifield’s fly ball before popping to his feet and throwing a strike to second to double off Travis Snider.

“I thought the runner was going to be back in plenty of time. I saw the umpire call him out and I was shocked,” said Braxton, who his hitting .345 with an on-base percentage of .500. “I’ve done as much as I can to make a statement. It’s not in my hands.”

DEAL OR NO DEAL?

The Brewers still have seven pitchers vying for the final two spots on the staff. Starters Peralta, Jimmy Nelson, Matt Garza, Taylor Jungmann and Chase Anderson and relievers Michael Blazek, Corey, Knebel, Jeremy Jeffress, Will Smith and Tyler Thornberg are already locked in leaving seven pitchers battling for two spots.

Among those are three veterans — Blaine Boyer, Chris Capuano and Franklin Morales — who are camp invitees and not on the 40-man roster. There is wiggle room with both Rymer Liriano and Yhonathan Barrios starting the season on the disabled list. The team has until no later than March 29 to be put invitees on the roster. If they aren’t they earn a $100,000 retention bonus.

Capuano and Morales are lefties and figured to be battling with Sean Nolin, who hasn’t pitched since March 14 due to elbow soreness.

TRAINING ROOM

Royals: Pitcher Tim Collins will have Tommy John surgery for the second time in a year after the ligament graft from the first surgery in March of 2015 was unsuccessful.

Brewers: Liriano, who was hit in the face by a pitch on Sunday, was scheduled to see a plastic surgeon Thursday to discuss options.

Royals: Right-hander Ian Kennedy will start against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium.

Brewers: Right-hander Jimmy Nelson will face the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park.

— Associated Press —