Boston chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom issued an update on a pair of first-year Red Sox players who are expected to contribute during the 2020 season.
Outfielder Alex Verdugo and pitcher Collin McHugh each are dealing with injuries, but Bloom said both are “coming along well,” according to Providence Journal’s Bill Koch.
Verdugo, who was the centerpiece coming to the Red Sox in their trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers for David Price and Mookie Betts, is recovering from a stress fracture in his back. It was said in February that Verdugo would not be ready for Opening Day, long before Major League Baseball suspended the start of its season due to the coronavirus.
McHugh, who signed with the Red Sox in spring training, is dealing with a strained right flexor tendon. The right-hander’s injury also was reported to possibly delay the start of his season. McHugh, however, is close to resuming his throwing program, as noted by Koch.
Of course, neither Verdugo nor McHugh were the main objective of Bloom’s conference call with the media Monday evening. It came after the Red Sox revealed Chris Sale had underwent Tommy John surgery.
