SURPRISE, Ariz. — Alex Gordon is smiling.
The Kansas City Royals left fielder threw 90 feet to second baseman Omar Infante during a Monday workout. He took 15 dry swings with a fungo bat Tuesday.
After undergoing right wrist surgery in late December, Gordon is happy to be on the field with his Royals teammates, making slow but steady progress, instead of in the trainer’s room.
“Throwing was never an issue,” Gordon said. “Today (Tuesday) is the real tester where I actually do the swings and we’ll see how it goes from there. We’re being cautious with it, making sure it doesn’t flare up or we take any back steps.”
Gordon is unsure how the wrist will feel after it rolls over several times.
“That’s basically for swinging a bat with my right hand,” Gordon said. “It’s definitely going to be a different feeling. I’m sure there if there is going to be soreness in there. Hopefully, the more and more I do it, the muscle memory will come back.”
Gordon said he is receiving “all kinds of treatment” on the wrist.
“I hate rehab just because the days are so long and there is so much you have to do, but so much is needed,” Gordon said. “It just makes for long days and trying to get back where it needs to be.”
The plan is to hold Gordon out of the first week of spring training games and if he has no setbacks play him after that.
“I’m just going to take it how it is and deal with what I have upcoming,” Gordon said. “We’ll see how it is. I can’t really answer that until we get in the situation, but I’m going to do everything I can do to be ready.”
Gordon first hurt the wrist in early July last season at Cleveland and after sitting out a few games returned to the lineup. He batted .266 with a team-leading 19 home runs.
Gordon informed the Royals in December that the wrist was still bothering him during workouts. That led to further tests and the surgery.
“If I didn’t take care of it, who knows what would have happened during the season if it would have come back,” Gordon said. “I’m glad I had I done now.”