Roenicke: Verdugo not progressing from back injury like Red Sox hoped
The coronavirus outbreak has taken its toll on all of Major League Baseball, but Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo is a player who's especially affected.
Verdugo, who suffered a stress fracture in his back last August, has not progressed as quickly as the Red Sox had hoped since it's difficult to work out during the shutdown, manager Ron Roenicke told reporters Tuesday, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.
Roenicke added that Verdugo is taking full swings and throwing is going well, but the team is unsure if he'll need another MRI, reports NESN's Guerin Austin.
Despite the setback, Roenicke believes the 23-year-old will be ready for the season if one happens, according to Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe.
Verdugo was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in February as part of a deal for Mookie Betts and David Price.
In 106 games for the Dodgers last season, Verdugo hit .294/.342/.475 with 12 home runs, 22 doubles, and 44 RBIs.