KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -Alex Gordon and Mitch Maier took batting practice indoors Saturday and both could be activated from the disabled list as early as next weekend when the Kansas City Royals visit Cleveland.
Gordon and Maier went on the DL in August. Gordon has been out with a right hip flexor tear, while Maier sustained three broken bones in his face Aug. 20 when he was hit by a pitch while attempting to bunt in a game at Cleveland.
“Depending on how he reacts the next couple of days with the workout plan, maybe late next week,” Royals manager Trey Hillman said, referring to Gordon. “It depends on how much mobility he has. If the field is dry tomorrow, then he’ll take groundballs and actually throw across the diamond.”
Hillman said Maier is wearing a protective attachment to his batting helmet to cover more of his face. He said Maier could take batting practice on the field as early as Sunday.
“He’s going to get into the flow of batting practice and we’re going try to work him back into baseball playing shape,” Hillman said.
Gordon, the second overall pick in the 2005 draft out of Nebraska, was hitting .254 with 14 home runs and 51 RBIs as the Royals’ starting third baseman before the injury. It was his first time on the disabled list.
Maier, a 2003 first-round pick out of Toledo, hit .339 in 19 games after being called up July 24 from Triple-A Omaha.
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