Four Players Who Would've Missed Opening Day Are Now Ready

SI's Tom Verducci shares the four players who are now ready for the MLB season to begin

No baseball player ever wants to suffer an injury, but they seem especially cruel when they happen in Spring Training and the player is told, "You won't be ready by Opening Day." 

Now, because of the coronavirus pandemic, some of those players who suffered injuries that would have caused them to miss Opening Day will be ready to go if and when the MLB season starts. 

Let's begin with New York Yankees left-handed starting pitcher James Paxton. He underwent off-season back surgery. While Paxton has been throwing off a mound for at least the last three weeks and looks ready to go. 

Justin Verlander, the Houston Astros right-hander, underwent surgery to repair a groin injury and also had been suffering from a lat strain. He's already begun to do some long tossing and he should be good to go. 

St. Louis Cardinals right hander Miles Mikolas suffered a forearm strain in Spring Training. He's begun doing light bullpen sessions off the mound. 

And finally, there is Michael Conforto. Who, in spring training, suffered that dreaded oblique strain that typically keeps out position players out for a month, if not more. Well, time has passed and Conforto has healed, and he's begun taking batting practice. 

Four players expected to miss Opening Day are now good to go when, and if, we have an Opening Day.