Puk, who Martin Gallegos of MLB.com relayed Sunday could be a top candidate to open the season as the No. 5 starter, is likely to make his Cactus League debut Wednesday, Gallegos separately reports.
Puk threw 30 pitches in a simulated game Saturday and reportedly impressed with his velocity and a sharp breaking ball, and he's now in the midst of a three-day rest period. That lines him up for a potential spring debut against the Royals on Wednesday, an outing in which he'd begin the ramp-up process to potentially serve in the capacity of an opener or conventional starter early in the season if Mike Fiers (hip) is sidelined.