Sonny Gray to make first spring training start for A’s

Sonny Gray to make first spring training start for A’s

PHOENIX — Excuse those on the A’s who collectively exhaled when Sonny Gray was denied a spot in the World Baseball Classic.

Gray will make his first spring training start Wednesday when the A’s play the Padres at the Peoria Stadium.

“I was actually looking forward to him going and pitching,” manager Bob Melvin said, referring to the WBC.

Gray dropped out of the WBC when denied insurance coverage based on his significant time on the disabled list last season.

More on top draftee: A day after first-round pick A.J. Puk struck out all three batters he faced, Melvin gave a glowing report.

The 6-foot-7 lefty reached 96 mph on the radar gun and displayed all four of his pitches: fastball, slider, curve and changeup.