San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado continues to make progress in his rehabilitation, raising his chances of being available for the regular-season opener, the World Series.
Machado took a few swings and worked on his third base defense on the second day of spring training, MLB.com reported Thursday.
“Rehab is going amazingly well,” Machado said, “I feel good so far. I don’t have any problems hitting or pitching. I just need to build up the strength in my arm.”
Machado, the team’s leadoff hitter, underwent surgery on his extensor tendon in his right elbow last October. “It’s an uncommon surgery among baseball players, so Machado’s timetable for returning was unclear,” the outlet explained. Initially, 안전놀이터 San Diego estimated that Machado would take four to six months to recover.
As a result, it was unclear if he would be able to participate in the opening game of the Seoul Series, which will take place March 20-21 at Gocheok SkyDome in Seoul, South Korea.
However, Machado’s rapid recovery has raised his chances of playing in the opener.
Team officials were also encouraged by Machado’s progress.
“It’s just a matter of what my body is telling me and how much I can push it,” Machado said of his chances of playing in the opener. At the same time, it’s important to be smart about the situation. It’s a long season,” he said, but remained optimistic, adding, “I feel good right now.”
Machado broke into the big leagues in 2012 and has played 1,583 games in his career, batting .279 with 313 home runs and 563 RBIs. He is a six-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner.
Last year, however, 카지노사이트 추천 he struggled with elbow pain, batting .258 with 30 home runs and 91 RBIs in 138 games. The team didn’t even make it to fall ball.
“It was a disaster,” Machado said of last season, “but we know what we’re capable of. We know what we’re capable of, and we’re determined to do better than last year.”