This is the kind of debut you like to see from a pitcher coming off an injury:

The A's projected ace was lights-out in his Cactus League debut, striking out five of the last six hitters he faced and tossing two scoreless innings in his team's 4-3 win over the San Diego Padres at Peoria Sports Complex. Harden surrendered only a two-out double to Adrian Gonzalez in the third inning, and second baseman Marcus Giles was the only other Padre to make contact against him.

"I've been working out some mechanical things over the past couple of days, and I felt really good," Harden said. "The ball was coming out free and easy."

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