Puk, who made his Cactus League debut in a win over the Royals on Wednesday, came away satisifed with his two-inning outing despite his velocity topping out at 92-93 mph, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports. "I'm just getting back into it," Puk said. "Maybe I'll get the velocity fully back. Maybe not. I'm more concerned about just going out there and feeling good, which I am. My shoulder is feeling strong and healthy."
The big left-hander allowed a two-run homer in the first inning. However, Puk also recorded four strikeouts -- three of them on swinging third strikes -- while utilizing his two-seam fastball, slider and curveball. Manager Bob Melvin echoed his pitcher by putting the the low-90s velocity in perspective, noting that Puk's 6-foot-7 frame makes his power pitch intimidating even at reduced speed because how close he gets to the plate by the end of his delivery.