CLEVELAND – Nikola Vucevic wasn’t demanding more shots.

That’s not how the Bulls big man is wired.

What he would like to see is more touches. An opportunity to show his teammates that when the ball goes through him he has the ability to make their lives on the court easier.

Maybe he’s finally starting to be heard.

“To me it’s not the fact of get me the ball to shoot it,” Vucevic said on Saturday. “One thing about me, which I think is one of my best qualities, is I make the game easier for everybody. Lot of times like the way DeMar [DeRozan] and Zach [LaVine] are guarded, getting doubled, getting blitzed, all that, the defense focuses so much on them that I can always be an outlet and make plays out of it.”

So why has that seemingly gotten lost at times?

Even in the embarrassing defeat in New Orleans, Vucevic was 7-for-11 that game, and 2-for-3 from three. The fact that he wasn’t searched out more was not only being discussed during that game, but in the film study on Friday, leading into the game with the Cavaliers.

“As a big man you are dependent on others,” Vucevic said. “I’m outside quite a bit, so I think for guards it’s not always something they’re aware of because with a big man they are just taught that we’re inside. Guards are taught to look for a big inside. I think 80% of them are inside. Few of them are shooting and able to step outside, so it’s just an adjustment for everybody. Definitely something we keep talking about.”

Getting Vucevic involved early like they did against Cleveland was a good sign.

All Vucevic did in that opening quarter was go 4-for-6 from the field for a game-high 10 points.

“I think there’s times we need to move it better,” coach Billy Donovan admitted of his offense. “There’s times I think we need to find Vooch in those situations because he’s such a good connector from one side of the floor to the other. I think we miss opportunities to do that. It’s something we certainly talked about and we’ve got to be better at.”

For those that haven’t been paying attention or simply opted to write Vucevic off because of his inconsistent first half, throughout March he’s been one of the few bright spots, shooting 39% from three – his best month of the year – and also entering the night with five of his last 10 games with a shooting percentage of 59% or better.

Yet, there have been too many moments where his touches have dwindled, especially in crunch-time. Donovan wants to see an end to that.

“They definitely miss him, no question,” Donovan said. “He’s a high-level IQ player and he knows the ones he needs to take and the ones he needs to get off of. It’s more in the heat of the moment, the awareness of making these quick decisions [for our guards].”

Lunch money

Tristan Thompson saw his wallet get a bit lighter, as the NBA announced that the veteran big man was fined $20,000 for directing profane language toward the officials late in the loss to the Pelicans.

Thompson drew two technical fouls when the officiating crew opted to review a play late, and then after they tried booting him he dropped the magic word on all three several times.

Thompson had to be escorted off the court and into the locker room, which didn’t help the optics of the incident.

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GLENDALE, Ariz. — White Sox manager Tony La Russa’s lineup Saturday featured almost everyone from the first team but Andrew Vaughn and Yasmani Grandal, who had played the night before.

The designated hitter was Gavin Sheets, who as a rookie last season hit well enough to thrust himself into the DH and right-field picture.

”It was an incredible experience, making my debut and playing in the playoffs,” Sheets said. ”It was an unbelievable season. You want to prove that you belong in the big leagues, and I felt like I did last year. There is stuff to work on but plenty to build off.”

Sheets, 25, showed plenty in batting .250/.324/.506 with 11 home runs and 34 RBI in 179 plate appearances last season. And the postseason moment wasn’t too much for him. His homer in Game 4 of the American League Division Series against the Astros gave the Sox a brief lead.

Sheets arrived at spring training feeling like one of the boys, not a kid finding his way around major-leaguers.

”It’s a different side of spring training I haven’t felt before,” he said.

Sheets’ left-handed bat is a commodity. La Russa trusts him in right, although he might not make the transition to the outfield as seamlessly as Vaughn has. A natural first baseman, Sheets is grouped with the outfielders in camp and is doing extra work with outfielders coach Daryl Boston. He’ll be asked to DH and play right field and first base.

”Yeah, he can play right,” La Russa said. ”And he can hit.”

Like Vaughn, Sheets was thrust into a position he hadn’t played much.

”It was crazy, my first game in the big leagues in right field,” he said. ”But that’s what you do when you have an MVP [Jose Abreu] at first base. You do what you can to get in the lineup.”

Cespedes impresses

Cuban outfield prospect Yoelqui Cespedes is getting an extensive look in Cactus League games and has done something to get noticed in all six he has played.

He has homered twice, gone 5-for-17 (.294), thrown out two runners from center field and made good reads on flyballs.

Cespedes has opened some eyes, but he will get more at-bats in the minor leagues after camp.

”He’s got speed, [and] you can see the arm,” La Russa said. ”He’s not afraid to swing. He’s got to improve in a couple of areas, [learning the] strike zone. But he has some unique, impactful talent.”

Cease catching up

Right-hander Dylan Cease was behind some other starters in camp, but only because he wasn’t facing hitters during the lockout.

”I don’t know if I was that behind,” he said. ”I was throwing up-down, high-effort bullpens. I just didn’t have the opportunity to face batters. . . . When batters step in there, it’s always a little bit of an adjustment, but I feel like I’m in a good spot right now.”

Cease allowed one run and one hit, struck out five and walked one in his first start of the spring Friday against the Mariners and quickly is catching up to the others.

”When he first showed up, he was several steps behind,” La Russa said. ”It shows you his aptitude and his talent.”

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PEORIA, Ariz. – In a normal spring, Drew Smyly would have made his first start more than two weeks before opening day. But this spring is not normal.

Smyly, in his Cubs spring training debut Saturday, threw two scoreless innings, allowing a hit and recording two strikeouts in his team’s 2-2 tie with the Padres.

“You get a little extra adrenaline rush the first game of the season, and with a new team, you want to start off on a good note and make a good impression,” he said. “[With] everything that dragged out this offseason, it was nice to finally just get back in a game.”

In addition to the long offseason and uncertainty surrounding the start of spring training, Smyly was still a free agent when the lockout ended. He signed with the Cubs a week ago.

Those factors pushed back Smyly’s ramp-up schedule. He first faced hitters this past Tuesday, throwing live batting practice at the Sloan Park complex.

“Then three days off, and then right into the game,” Smyly said. “So I just came in trying to throw strikes, mix speeds, just try to stay ahead in the count and compete.”

The Cubs open the season in a little under two weeks. Smyly said he could make his next start in a minor-league game on the Cubs’ off day next Thursday, or start Wednesday on short rest.

“It just depends how I feel and how I’m bouncing back,” Smyly said. “And they don’t want to rush it.”

Schwindel Sunday?

Cubs first baseman Frank Schwindel is nearing a return, according to manager David Ross. He’s been out with lower back tightness. Ross said they were taking a cautious approach to his recovery/

Schwindel played in two games early on in spring training but hasn’t gotten into game action for almost a week.

“He’s still day to day, and he’s feeling better every single day,” Ross said Saturday. “I know he hit a lot yesterday. So, he’s penciled in to maybe get some looks tomorrow, see how he presents.”

Simmons’ shoulder sore

Cubs shortstop Andrelton Simmons has been dealing with shoulder soreness, Ross revealed on Saturday. The Cubs signed Simmons earlier this month.

“Just building back up, jumping into things, and just want to make sure we’re taking care of his arm,” Ross said. “You see him have the at-bats. Just want to make sure he’s fully healthy.”

Simmons has appeared in one game this spring, logging two at-bats as the designated hitter against the Angels on Thursday.

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LAS VEGAS — For two periods Saturday, the Blackhawks impressively matched the Golden Knights’ desperation and countered it with clean, crisp execution.

But in the third period, the Hawks’ lingering fragility reappeared.

Four Knights goals in a nine-minute span transformed what was once a 3-0 Hawks lead into a 4-4 tie before Evgenii Dadonov — whom the Knights tried to trade less than a week ago, only to have the move nixed by the NHL over a no-trade clause controversy — fittingly scored in overtime to lift the Knights to a 5-4 win.

“Anytime you give up a three-goal lead in the third period, it’s obviously not good,” Dylan Strome said. “They just rolled the momentum there, and we couldn’t stop it.

“[We needed to] try to relax. [After] they scored that quick into the third, it’s just like, ‘Take a deep breath.’ The building is going crazy — this has to be the loudest rink in the NHL — so they get one, they get two, and then it’s a tough thing to stop.”

Chandler Stephenson, William Karlsson and Jack Eichel all scored within a span of 1:52 to bring the hosts level, then Alex Pietrangelo did so again 47 seconds after Alex DeBrincat’s go-ahead goal to keep the crowd of 18,301 at T-Mobile Arena rocking.

The dramatic two points technically lifted the Knights ahead of the Stars for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot, although they still trail based on points percentage. Those two teams along with the Kings, Oilers and Predators above them and Jets and Canucks below them appear destined for a frantic final month racing to the finish line.

The Hawks, of course, will be nowhere near that excitement as they plod through their final weeks with all eyes on the future.

That makes it difficult to contextualize the inevitable short-term positives and negatives, since neither matter in the long run. And that’s a shame, because there have still been plenty of said positives lately.

They went 2-0-1 on this West Coast road trip, earning five out of a possible six points while admirably avoiding a post-trade deadline emotional deflation.

Kevin Lankinen’s goaltending has looked 2021-level sharp lately, at least until Saturday’s third period. Dominik Kubalik put forth a tremendous effort, scoring in his return from a healthy scratch.

Seth Jones is riding a five-game point streak, and Jake McCabe quietly boasts seven points in his last nine games. Strome, DeBrincat and Patrick Kane’s line has been red-hot for so long it seems permanent.

And the Hawks collectively played one of their best second periods in months Saturday, maintaining excellent structure in the neutral zone — constantly intercepting Knights’ breakouts while cleanly slicing across the blue lines with their own — and demonstrating sharp vision and accurate passing in the offensive zone.

“We were skating; we were getting pucks behind them; we were good on the forecheck; we were patient; the ‘D’ were active,” interim coach Derek King said. “We just played a solid two periods.”

Then all that disappeared abruptly.

“Usually the second period is our worst,” King added. “Now I’ve got to work on the third period, because…all the things we did in the second and the first, we stopped doing in the third. And it’s just like, ‘OK, Strome, get going, get your line out there,’ because they were creating opportunities. [But] you can’t play that line for a whole period. You need other guys to fill in.”

There’s no arguing general manager Kyle Davidson’s aggressive rebuild isn’t the wisest plan. After a relatively feel-good week, the final portion of Saturday afternoon provided another vivid reminder of that.

The Hawks are now 24-32-10 — an awful record from any perspective. And they’ve now proved yet again they don’t have the talent, depth, confidence or composure to keep up, when it really matters, with a playoff-caliber opponent.

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GLENDALE, Ariz. — While the White Sox stand pat, at least for now and perhaps longer than you might like, the AL Central gets better around them.

Carlos Correa’s addition to the Twins was a stunning attention grabber, and the Sox clubhouse took notice. And while the presence of a $35 million a year shortstop, arguably the best in the game, doesn’t make the Twins the Sox’ equal on paper — pitching still rules — it makes the defending AL Central Division champion Sox’ work a little more challenging 19 more times this season.

“Definitely a shock,” Keuchel, a former teammate of Correa said.

“He took that leadership role and ran with it is nothing short of one of the best players on the field if not the league. He’s going to make an immediate impact.”

The Sox see improvement not just from the Twins, but from all four division rivals.

“There’s different dynamics in the Central,” Sox closer Hendriks said. “The Twins made some moves to get better. Detroit’s done the same thing. We’ve done the same thing.”

“The Central will be more competitive,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said.

The Sox have added Kendall Graveman and Joe Kelly to the bullpen and replaced Cesar Hernandez with Josh Harrison at second base. If Sox players want to see general manager Rick Hahn add another starting pitcher such as Sean Manaea in a trade or left-handed hitting outfielder Michael Conforto in a dwindling free-agent market, they’re not saying publicly.

“You’re going to get in trouble as a player if you try to play GM,” Hendriks said. “We’re not going to request a player, it’s not going to end well. You take what you can. But I do know when you make moves in the middle of the season it can completely change the attitude in the clubhouse. But in the offseason you let it play as it is.”

The Sox right now have enough to win the Central. They might not have enough to beat the Dodgers in the World Series, though. But they could be in a better position to assess that before the July 31 trade deadline.

“Sure, there’s always moves you can make but you run out the first 80 games and say, ‘OK we have deficiencies here or there let’s see what we can address and push the needle the most,’ ” Hendriks said. “From all the conversations we’ve had with the front office, this is our time, this is our window.

“Our job is to get ready for the season and it’s theirs, too, whether it’s with the current guys we got or a couple different pieces they add. You trust in them to have the interest of winning a championship.”

Hendriks knows this: When he was on the Blue Jays in 2015, Troy Tulowitzki, David Price and LaTroy Hawkins were added at the deadline and the clubhouse was floating on air.

“We walked in that day and you would have thought we hadn’t lost a game all year and we were a .500 team,” he said.

Hendriks also said any addition would have to fit in. He likes that the Sox front office checks with players about how targeted players would mesh in the clubhouse.

“It’s refreshing knowing they actually [care] about the clubhouse vibe,” Hendriks said. “You can have the best lineup in the world but if they don’t mesh well you’re never going to win. A championship team will always be a team of champions.”

Correa will fit in with the Twins and make them better but he is “just one more guy we have to get out,” Keuchel said. “But we have a really good staff and I’ll take our guys against anybody.

“It’s going to be a competitive division. There are going to be two or three teams at the end that are going to duke it out but I like our chances.”

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Can the Bulls beat the Celtics?

Wait, make that the 76ers.

Wait, make that the Bucks.

No, sorry, the Heat.

The Bulls will face one of those teams in the first round of the playoffs. No question about it, they will be underdogs. Their shoddy play of late — and all season against the strongest opponents — has seen to that.

In this week’s “Polling Place,” your home for Sun-Times sports polls on Twitter, we asked if you’d bet on or against the Bulls to make it to the second round. In what shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, most who voted would not.

“You cannot win with a 6-5 power forward and no backup point guard,” @RonaldVoigt4 commented.

Hey, is it Javonte Green’s fault he isn’t a whole lot taller?

We also asked if the White Sox should pony up with a long-term contract extension for veteran righty Lucas Giolito — who hasn’t exactly loved his offseason dealings with the front office — and how new general manager Ryan Poles is faring on the rebuilding-the-Bears front. On to the polls:

Poll No. 1: If you had to bet right now, would you bet on or against the Bulls to reach the second round of the playoffs?

Upshot: What the heck, let’s let the good-vibers have their say. From @JBIRD1268: “If they can get over their fear of beating quality teams, they can go far.” And from @DeyoSahler: “Crunch-time scoring is crucial in the playoffs, and the Bulls have two of the league’s best options. I’m optimistic they’ll win at least one round.” We’re sure DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine appreciate the vote of confidence.

Poll No. 2: Should the White Sox commit to pitcher Lucas Giolito, who will be eligible for free agency in 2023, with a long-term deal?

Upshot: “Pay the man!” @Marie_Manning demanded, capturing the essence of what a large majority of Sox fans seem to be feeling. Giolito has ascended dramatically since coming to the South Side, but eventually the Sox will have to decide if they regard him as an ace — in the truest, fullest sense of the term — or not quite.

Poll No. 3: What’s your impression of new Bears general manager Ryan Poles based on his personnel moves so far?

Upshot: A whole bunch of pretty big names — Khalil Mack, Allen Robinson (and that’s just getting started) — have left the building. A whole bunch more are entering the Bears picture. Poles and his team are doing a lot of tinkering, which one supposes was the whole idea. “A nice, measured approach,” @JeffreyCanalia wrote. But @doczzt is more skeptical: “Poles may not be as good as the Chicago sports media portrayed him.” Dang media!

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For many years, the late Lord Harold Samuel, a real estate tycoon in Great Britain, was credited with coining the expression, “There are three things that matter in property: location, location, location.”

In 2009, political pundit and linguist William Safire investigated this for the New York Times. His research brought him to Fred Shapiro, editor of “The Yale Book of Quotations,” who found a 1926 real estate classified ad in the Chicago Tribune: “Attention salesmen, sales managers: location, location, location, close to Rogers Park.” This means Lord Samuel would have had to have said this when he was just 14. Chicago wins.

Good luck on the quiz — and with your Elite Eight bracket.

1. Seiya Suzuki feels like a great addition for the Cubs and Chicago baseball. Last season for Hiroshima, Suzuki hit .317 with 38 home runs and 88 RBI in 134 games. What is the nickname of the Hiroshima team?

a. Hiros

b. Carp

c. Dragons

d. White Fish

2. While we are in the Far East, which of the following players was not born in Japan?

a. Don Wakamatsu

b. Dave Roberts

c. Kenta Maeda

d. Koji Uehara

3. Chicago has the Cubs and the White Sox. Since 1901, which of the following cities has not had two teams, at the same time or otherwise? (There could be more than one correct answer.)

a. Boston

b. Milwaukee

c. Seattle

d. St. Louis

e. They all have had two teams

4. Chicago White Sox. Chicago Cubs. Simple, right? How many of the location names can you give me for the Angels?

5. Where is Ernie Banks Drive located?

a. Dallas, Texas

b. Peoria, Illinois

c. El Paso, Texas

d. Kansas City, Missouri

6. Legendary tennis great Billie Jean King is part of the ownership group for a team in which city?

a. New York

b. Los Angeles

c. San Diego

d. San Francisco

7. Who wasn’t a major-league player?

a. Denver LeMaster

b. Orlando Cepeda

c. Bayamon Baez

d. Austin Jackson

8. Illinois Route 24, beginning at the intersection of South Adams Street and Route 24 in Bartonville and ending at the intersection of Griswold Street and Route 24 in Peoria, is named after which ballplayer?

a. Gary Gaetti

b. Jim Thome

c. Kirby Puckett

d. Paul Konerko

9. What four teams are named for the states, not the city, in which they’re located? If I gave you four choices, I’d give away the answer (New York refers to the city, not the state).

ANSWERS

1. Hiroshima Carp. Or, to be fully correct, the Hiroshima Toyo Kapu.

2. Don Wakamatsu was born in Hood River, Oregon; Dave Roberts was born in Okinawa, Japan.

3. Boston has had the Red Sox and Braves; Milwaukee has had the Braves and Brewers; Seattle has had the Pilots and Mariners; and St. Louis has had the Browns and Cardinals. E is your only correct answer.

4. Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Anaheim Angels and California Angels (and I’m never sure what to call them).

5. Ernie Banks Drive is in the Cooperstown section of El Paso. It’s located between Roger Maris Drive and Sandy Koufax Drive.

6. The Guggenheim Baseball Management group is made up of 10 people, two of whom, including Billie Jean King, are owners of the Dodgers. King’s brother Randy Moffitt pitched for the Giants.

7. I made up Bayamon Baez, but Bayamon is where Javy Baez was born in Puerto Rico. I hope you noticed that Austin Jackson’s name features two state capitals.

8. Jim Thome Drive can be found in Bartonville, Illinois. Now you just have to find Bartonville.

9. In the American League, the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers. In the National League, the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Write to me. Tweet at me. Have a good week.

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LAS VEGAS — We discussed the Dodgers being -500 in some games and his affinity for the Brewers and Phillies. He bemoaned the Red Sox beating his beloved Bronx Bombers to Trevor Story.

Long Island handicapper Tom Barton and I drifted into many topics. Thirty-five minutes later, however, we returned to the conversation starter — Wrigley Field’s inhabitants.

“I can’t believe they went and got Seiya Suzuki,” says Barton. “Shocking. I like it. If you’re a Cubs fan, you got one of the better offseason acquisitions that nobody’s talking about. Wow.”

The 27-year-old Suzuki, a five-time All-Star outfielder in Japan who smacked 177 home runs over his last six seasons, inked a five-year deal worth $85 million — a record pact for a Japanese position player.

A ray of hope, says Barton, after the franchise unsurprisingly dumped Javy Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo when last season went south.

With 18 games against divisional bottom-feeders Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, Barton envisions the Cubs as a .500 squad. Informed that Station Casinos’ projected total is 72.5, he pauses.

He estimates the Cubs’ victory range between 75 and 85.

“I’m selling myself on the Cubs now, during this conversation. I don’t think they’ll tank, especially in that division. Over 72.5 makes sense. If everything goes wrong for the Cubs, I [still] think they’re a 75-win team.”

PHILS, BREWERS OVER

Barton salivated one year ago when interest in San Diego soared, after it had acquired three starting pitchers, including Yu Darvish. He distrusted the hype, which he termed “helium.”

The Padres hadn’t won at least 94 games since 1998. Barton hammered Under 93.5 at a sportsbook. He found 94.5 at another shop and doubled down, forming his largest preseason investment.

San Diego finished 79-83.

“Just unreal expectations,” says Barton. “Give me a helium team and I’m going against it all day. Shortstop Fernando Tatis is unbelievably talented, but he’s reckless and a butcher in the field.”

Tatis broke his left wrist in a December motorcycle accident and is out until June. San Diego’s victory total is 90.5 at William Hill, but Barton has invested elsewhere.

A host on the nationally syndicated Sports Garten radio network, his lone bets, so far, have been Phillies Over 84 and Brewers Over 88, which is 94.5 at Stations.

He raves about Philly starters Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, whom he projects as having a Cy Young-type of season. Nola is 30-1 to win that NL award at the Westgate SuperBook.

Plus, outfielder Bryce Harper is coming off his second MVP season.

“Philly is very overlooked,” says Barton. “All I have to do is get to .500? And I get to beat up on the Marlins and Nats in that division? Philly was my number-one bet, Milwaukee number two.”

He favors Brewers starting pitchers Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta. Should outfielder Christian Yelich and first baseman Rowdy Tellez excel, Barton foresees a big campaign.

“If [Yelich and Tellez] click, they could win 100 games. Year after year, the Brewers are overlooked, too. They’re very good, excellent if a few things work their way.”

ELATED ABOUT ELOY

Chicago native Sam Panayotovich took -180 (risk $180 to win $100) at Caesars on the White Sox to win the AL Central, having seen -200 and up at most Vegas sportsbooks.

The New England Sports Network and Fox Sports betting analyst gauges the Sox as having an 80% chance, or -400, “to win the weakest division in baseball,” so paying less than half that represents exceptional value.

“Minus-200 being cheap is the old boxing theory, Let ’em all bet McGregor and I’ll lay it with Mayweather.”

In 2017, Conor McGregor’s rabid fans dumped bricks of cash on the MMA legend, giving pugilist Floyd Mayweather rare value. Money May scored a methodical 10th-round TKO over McGregor in the boxing ring.

Panayotovich also says the Sox are “live” at 6-1 to win the AL pennant. Circa has +475, Stations +500, and William Hill, the South Point and SuperBook are all 6-1.

Sox stars Luis Robert (hip) and Eloy Jimenez (torn pec) missed significant time last season, but Barton believes Jimenez will flourish in 2022.

He is 75-1 to win AL MVP at William Hill, 60-1 at the SuperBook, where he’s also 20-1 to lead baseball in homers.

Says Barton, “If you’re putting money on an MVP coming from this team, while everyone is staring at Robert, I’m staring at Eloy.”

He praises a Sox pitching staff that registered a second consecutive sub-4.00 ERA last season for the first time since 1993-94. SuperBook Cy Young odds on Lance Lynn are 20-1, 10-1 on Lucas Giolito and 50-1 on Dylan Cease.

The lifelong Yankees fan compares the Sox bullpen of Liam Hendriks, Craig Kimbrel, Kendall Graveman and Aaron Bummer to what Mariano Rivera helmed for some scintillating seasons in the Bronx.

However, Barton advises passing on a White Sox win total that’s 95.5 at Stations, 92.5 at William Hill. Chicago has won more than 93 games once, at 99-63 in 2005, since 2000.

“They’re good enough to win 100, but that division can work against you. They could have a lead of eight or 10 games with a week left, then they rest people. You need two wins, and they drop seven of their last nine.

“You barely get there, or you don’t. They just might not be crunched to win that division again.

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PEORIA, Ariz. — Dylan Cease struck out five and walked one in three innings of one-run ball in his first Cactus League start against the Mariners Friday night, an impressive little line score.

But Cease, who led the American League in strikeouts per nine innings last season, said it was nothing special.

“It was an OK first outing,” Cease said. “Nothing super special and it wasn’t horrible. Pretty good.”

Cease, allowed one hit, a liner in the gap that center fielder Yoelqui Cespedes laid out for but couldn’t hold on to, and got two ground-ball outs.

“When I’m on, I’ve got an opportunity to strike guys out,” Cease said. “It was solid today, but the walk to [Clint] Frazier was pretty upsetting and there were a couple of at-bats where I thought I kind of made some poor pitches later in the at-bat.”

Cease touched 98 mph on the stadium gun.

“I definitely like strikeouts,” Cease said.” Ideally, it’s a quick inning of strikeouts. Pretty much trying to fill up the zone and usually if I fill up the zone, I have a good chance of striking people out.”

The Sox were limited to three hits in a 3-0 loss, two of them singles by Andrew Vaughn. One of Vaughn’s hits was a 112 mph liner that skipped past center fielder Julio Rodriguez for a two-base error. Vaughn is 7 for 14 this spring.

Cespedes threw out Luis Torrens at third base, the second time this spring he has thrown out a runner at third. This time, he threw a strike on the fly to third baseman Jake Burger to get Torrens, who tried to advance on Mike Ford’s fly ball.

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