Diamondbacks’ Gabriel Moreno nearing game action: ‘He’s starting to feel really good’

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno may see game action as soon as this weekend in continuation camp at Salt River Fields as he inches closer toward getting back in the lineup.

Moreno, who has been on the 10-day injured list with an adductor strain since Aug. 6, will continue his progress at Chase Field on Wednesday, getting behind the plate for a bullpen.

Manager Torey Lovullo did not give a target date for getting Moreno back, but he outlined what Moreno has on his plate before that day comes.

“I think he’s getting he’s getting pretty close,” Lovullo said. “He’s starting to feel really good. We want to get him into a game, have him blocking balls, do all those natural movements.

“The running is an important progression, squatting and catching. He’s going to definitely catch a bullpen here, possibly (Ryne Nelson), or maybe get on the Trajekt machine, which simulates a little bit more of the aggressive nature of the pitches. We just want to see him back there and see the movements. Once we get that, we feel like it’s going to start to move pretty quick.”

The Trajekt machine mimics the delivery of major league pitchers, and D-backs hitters on the IL such as Christian Walker and Ketel Marte have used it to work on higher-intensity swings and timing.

Lovullo said an ideal track for Moreno — who ran arcs (turns) at 80% on Tuesday — is blocking later this week followed by live at-bats and then a stint playing in a game environment at Salt River Fields.

“We want to simulate as much as we possibly can for Gabi, I think we can do everything we need to do with him — squatting, blocking, receiving, throwing — here,” Lovullo said. “The fact that our medical team is here, that we’re here with him … and see where that leads us, whether there is a game in Reno we haven’t discussed it yet, we’ll do what we need to do to make sure that he’s as ready as possible.”

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is going to need more time

Lovullo was hopeful left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. would only need a minimum 10-day IL stint after suffering a calf strain, which would open his window to return Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers. That now appears unlikely, as Lovullo said Gurriel will need a bit more time.

The manager maintained that Gurriel is close, repeating the phrase “sooner-than-later.”

Gurriel will hit off the Trajekt machine on Wednesday and run on Thursday.

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