Juan Soto of the San Diego Padres took dry swings Friday, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Juan Soto doing some dry swings today. That’s seen as a big development in terms of his possible progression toward being ready for opening day.
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) March 24, 2023
Outfield spot has likely opened up on the initial 26-man roster, as Adam Engel suffered a hamstring injury Thursday.
Soto suffered an oblique strain on March 19. Luckily the issue seems minor, but obliques can be very tricky. There really is no way of knowing if an oblique is completely healthy until Soto lets it rip. The Padres still hope their superstar slugger will be full go on Opening Day. Right now, that is the plan, but any setback could see Soto starting the season on the injured list.
However, the Padres did receive some bad news Saturday when it was announced that Joe Musgrove would begin the season on the injured list due to a toe injury.
The Padres figure to battle the Los Angeles Dodgers all season long to see who will win the National League West. The Dodgers are still the favorite at -125, but the Padres aren’t far behind at +120. You can find the odds for every team to win their division on the FanDuel Sportsbook.