Carlos Gomez said Tuesday he continues to make progress in recovering from the left intercostal muscle strain that has sidelined him since Sept. 13 and could be ready by the weekend to contribute as a pinch runner or defensive replacement.
Returning to the plate, however, remains a work in progress.
“The big test is swinging the bat like I do,” he said. “I’ve been running, shagging almost like a hundred percent. … I’m close to almost a hundred percent to playing my defense at the level that I can do. The swinging is the big problem. The swinging is the more scary.