MESA, Ariz. >> Following a disappointing year, the Oakland A’s are embarking on a new season with an abundance of new faces looking to introduce themselves within a new environment.

Having acquired 27 players in 10 trades over the past year, with a slew of free-agent signings added over the offseason, the A’s needed and sought a fresh start following a 60-102 season.

Many of those newcomers were on display in Oakland’s Cactus League opener Saturday afternoon during a 12-7 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Jace Peterson, a 32-year-old free agent from Milwaukee, and 22-year-old rookie Lawrence Butler, two of those new faces, played key roles in a six-run fifth inning that broke the game open for Oakland. Peterson, whose debut included two walks, doubled in a run and scored one in the inning. Butler capped the inning with a two-run double.In all, the A’s tallied 11 hits while drawing a whopping 10 walks.

“It was good just to be back out there and compete and get the spring rolling,” said Peterson, an infielder who signed a two-year, $9.5 million contract in the offseason. “It was a good first day and good stuff to build off of.

“Just ready to continue that to get to work and try to find a way each day to prepare and get better.”

Second-year A’s manager Mark Kotsay noted prior to the game that he didn’t have any serious expectations for his group in its first outing of the spring, only that the A’s focus on doing the small things right as they work into an every-day routine.

“The pitchers should be ahead of the hitters at this point,” Kotsay said. “Big emphasis is just being fundamentally sound. Watching guys go out and how they take their at-bats and how they perform defensively.”

Kotsay, players share opinions of new rules

Saturday also marked the first time Oakland experienced the new rules being implemented into MLB this season, including the pitch clock. Both pitchers and position players alike agreed the more uptempo pace of play the pitch clock enables will be something to get used to.

A number of players were nearly caught off guard by it.

“The first at-bat I almost got caught up doing my routine and I looked up and (the pitch clock) was at 10 seconds,” Peterson said. “I had to kind of expedite that a little bit, but I think it will take an adjustment period for sure and I think as the spring games go you’ll see guys get a little more comfortable and on time with the clock.”

Added shortstop Nick Allen: “It’s fast paced, especially for the first game out you’re kind of going and going. I was big on trying to slow things down and take some good breaths. We all had the jitters out there and they’re good ones because you want them when you’re playing. It was good just being back out there and you can definitely see that it’s fast paced.”

While the adjustment didn’t appear to be much of a challenge for JP Sears, Oakland’s starting pitcher, he said at times he had to quicken his pace to avoid a timing violation, throwing him out of his rhythm.

“It was definitely a little bit of an up-beat pace out there,” Sears said. “There were times where I did feel a little rushed, but that’s just part of spring training, that’s why we have this time to get adjusted to it. I think the more and more the catchers can catch all the different pitchers that will be easier, too. That was (Manny Piña’s) first time catching me.

“It was an adjustment, but it should be good.”

Kotsay mentioned ahead of the Cactus League opener that the disengagement rule for pitchers, which limits their pickoff and step-off attempts to just two per batter, will be key for them to adjust to quickly in order to control opposing baserunners. Pitchers who violate the rule will be charged with a balk.

“I think the pitchers are going to be aware of the fact that they only have two disengagements,” Kotsay said. “Your hope is they can stay composed through those false-break movements and understand how to control the running game with your times to the plate.”

After the game, Kotsay said he was watching the clock “every pitch.” Players throughout the league will continue to adjust to the new rules this spring, but the A’s didn’t commit any violations in their first Cactus League game, a good start considering how unfamiliar they still are with the changes.

“It’s going to take some time to get used to,” Kotsay said. “Here we had a 19-run, 23-hit game in still kind of under (three hours and 20 minutes). Normally, these types of games take a lot longer, but you can already see the impact, I think.”

Sears, Tarnok reflect on spring debuts

Sears and right-hander Freddy Tarnok piggybacked each other Saturday for their first appearances of the spring, a pairing Kotsay had set for the first game earlier in the week.

Sears gave up two runs in his 1 2/3 innings of work, surrendering two runs on three hits, including a solo home run by Diamondbacks prospect catcher Gabriel Moreno. Sears hovered around 92-94 mph with his fastball, mixing in his slider and changeup. He threw 41 total pitches, struck out a pair of batters and didn’t issue a walk.

“Just adjusting to the pitch timer, trying to just see hitters in there and that feeling of being competitive on the mound again and trying to get some guys out,” Sears said. “Always working on stuff but not working on anything in particular.”

Tarnok, who was acquired from the Braves in the Sean Murphy trade, entered the game in the third inning after Jake Fishman got the last out in the second. After allowing the first two men he faced to reach base on a walk and a hit, Tarnok retired the next six batters in order. His scoreless, two-inning appearance including a pair of strikeouts. He finished with a 1-2-3 fourth inning, inducing two fly outs and a pop out.

“I got myself in a little bit of pickle and had to really remind myself to stay focused and bear down here, make all these pitches,” Tarnok said. “It was good to get that work in.”

Amid a large group of rotation candidates, Tarnok, 24, is one of the youngest. Formerly the Braves’ No. 6 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Tarnok is looking to become a long-term staple of the A’s pitching staff.

“I thought Freddy threw the ball really well,” Kotsay said. “I think for his first outing he commanded the zone pretty well, mixed his pitches, had some life to the heater. I like what Freddy did today.”

Kaprielian to throw live batting practice today

While it was unclear entering camp how far along James Kaprielian was in his recovery process after undergoing shoulder surgery to repair an AC joint during the offseason, Kotsay revealed some encouraging news regarding the 28-year-old right-hander’s progression.

Kapreilian is scheduled to throw a 20-pitch live batting practice session today. Kotsay said that if all goes well, Kaprielian’s next steps could lead to game action.