Loading on the back leg is important for any hitter. But with how Cubs infielder Nick Madrigal lifts his left leg high at the start of his swing, it sets him up to feel it acutely if his right leg is still recovering from something as significant as the 2021 hamstring tear that effectively ended his White Sox tenure.
After surgery and a long rehab process, a difficult first season on the North Side saw him hit a paltry .249/.305/.282 in 2022. But Madrigal is starting to see the benefits of being another year removed from that setback and fully healthy.
