Swings against velocity Verdugo was allowed to step into the batter's box for Saturday's simulated game, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. Impact Verdugo wasn't scheduled to bat against Nathan Eovaldi, one of the hardest throwers in the majors, but he asked to face him and manager Ron Roenicke obliged. The outfielder saw it as a way to test the stress fracture in his back that limited him during spring training and threatened his availability for the start of the regular season before the pandemic put a temporary halt to the 2020 season. "I took a full swing, I swung and missed and had no pain, no discomfort," Verdugo said. "That was really reassuring. That's really what this is about. It's just to get my timing back and to reassure that my body, physically everything, is handling the progression." Verdugo is expected to be ready to roll when the season opens up in three weeks.
JULY 5, 2020 • ROTOWIRE