Still battling a wrist injury, Royals’ Lorenzo Cain hopes to return Friday in Chicago
After missing the last week with an ailing left wrist, Royals outfielder Lorenzo Cain said Tuesday that he hoped to return to the lineup in time for Friday’s series opener against the White Sox in Chicago.
On Tuesday, Cain missed his sixth straight game while recovering from an injury that hampered him for the final two weeks of August. Last Tuesday, the Royals elected to give Cain an injection and a few days to rest. But Cain said his hand strength has been slow to return, and he would likely have to play through the injury for the rest of the season.
“It’s probably not going to feel a lot better than it did,” Cain said. “But I feel like I need to be in the lineup.”
Cain, 30, is batting .287 with a .336 on-base percentage in 2016. He has recorded 19 doubles and nine homers in 102 games. He missed most of July with a hamstring injury. The injury has affected Cain’s left wrist and hand — his bottom hand when he swings from the right side of the plate. But his lack of “grip strength” has also sapped some of his power potential, Cain said.
“Honestly, I don’t feel like I have any of my power,” he said. “I feel like each at-bats, I have about two good swings. But I need to be in the lineup.”
Rustin Dodd: 816-234-4937, @rustindodd. Download True Blue, The Star’s free Royals app.
This story was originally published September 6, 2016 at 9:19 PM with the headline "Still battling a wrist injury, Royals’ Lorenzo Cain hopes to return Friday in Chicago."