Dodgers News: Chris Taylor and Alex Verdugo Are Rehabbing in Arizona
Chris Taylor is closer to returning to live game action than Alex Verdugo is, but both are on track of returning by the start of the playoffs.
Alex Verdugo (oblique) and Chris Taylor (forearm) are not with the #Dodgers in Miami. Both are in AZ at Camelback Ranch rehabbing. Verdugo not cleared to do baseball-specific activities (ie throwing, swinging) yet.
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 13, 2019
Alex Verdugo has not been cleared for swinging, or throwing yet, per Bill Plunkett. As for Chris Taylor, he seems to be inching closer to a return, as he has resumed hitting in the batting cage, since last Wednesday. Taylor was initially ruled out for 4-6 weeks, and he is in the middle of the 5th week of that timetable.
Verdugo was placed on the 10-day injured list on August 6th, and he is yet to resume any baseball-specific activities. The key for the Dodgers is to have all the players healthy, and ready to go, come playoff time. Verdugo and Taylor could both be held out until late-August.
Prior to getting injured Chris Taylor had a batting average of .261, with an OPS of .787, 68 hits, 33 runs, 8 HRs, 41 RBI’s, and 7 stolen bases. Taylor was in a slump to start the season, going hitless against the Diamondbacks, in the first series of the season, and had a batting average of just .197 in April, with 12 hits, on 61 at-bats, 1 dinger, and 9 RBI’s, as well as striking out 19 times.
Taylor picked up his game and has performed much better ever since that mini-slump. In May and June, Taylor had a batting average of .306, with a .992 OPS, 50 hits, 25 runs, 7 dingers, 30 RBI’s, in 163 at-bats, while striking out 50 times. Taylor should have sometime after returning from injury, to get back on track, and perform at the level we are used to seeing him perform at.
Alex Verdugo has a batting average of .294, .817 OPS, 101 hits, 44 runs, 12 HRs, 44 RBI’s, 4 stolen bases. Verdugo’s performance has remained consistent for the most part. In July, he was in a bit of a slump, but even the best players, such as Mike Trout, have slumps, now and then. Verdugo could return late-August as well, but since he has not resumed swinging, and throwing, his return may be delayed until early September.
