Chiirinos, who did not report to summer camp until Sunday due to a positive COVID-19 test, impressed while working up to 62 pitches in a simulated game Thursday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. "We were all really encouraged by Yonny," manager Kevin Cash said. "It was very much of a work day for him. He wasn't up there with the intent to strike everybody out -- it was basically with the intent to command his pitches. The stuff and the readings that we got in those four innings was really, really positive."
The right-hander faced the trio of Kevin Kiermaier, Mike Brosseau and Jose Martinez and was able to get 42 of his offerings into the strike zone. Chirinos is slated to serve primarily as a traditional starter this season after often working as a bulk reliever following an opener in the last two campaigns, and he remains on track to take the hill for the first time in 2020 against Atlanta on Tuesday.