Dodgers Alex Verdugo Still Rehabbing Injured Back In Arizona, but No Progress Made

Dodgers rookie outfielder Alex Verdugo’s return is no longer imminent, per Ken Gurnick.

Alex Verdugo still rehabbing his back in Arizona. “Stagnant right now,” Roberts said.

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— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) September 7, 2019

Stagnant is never a word one wants to hear in these situations. Alex Verdugo had spent the last week or so with the Ogden Raptors, doing some rehab games. It had been rumored he had an awkward swing that appeared to hurt his back, and confirmed via Alanna Rizzo in a previous piece.

When Is He Going To Volver?

A setback while resetting your back is never easy. In fact, it’s usually more difficult than reading the last sentence in this article. Backs are notoriously unpredictable and frustrating to heal. If there is an upside to this new information, it’s that he is at least continuing to rehab, as opposed to being put on the shelf entirely. The unfortunate news is that with an oblique injury, there is very little certainty. Alex Verdugo could be back in a week, or it may take a lot longer than that.

A Missed Asset In The Lineup

Alex Verdugo had accumulated a 3.1 bWAR in 106 games before injury. He posted an .817 OPS while playing plus defense in the outfield. In his stead, A.J Pollock, Joc Pederson, and Enrique Hernandez are likely to get play more playing time. We are likely to see Hernadez in center field, as well as Cody Bellinger mixed in there as well. When Alex Verdugo returns, he will go back to taking most of the starts in center field.